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THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
THE
WORK S
OF THE
Long- Mournful and Sorcly-Diftrefled
ISAAC PENINGTON,
WHOM
The Lord, in his tender Mercy, at length vifited and
relieved by the Miniftry of that defpifed People
called
(QUAKERS;
AND IN THE
Springings of that Light, Life, and Holy Power in him,
which they had truly and faithfully teftified of, and directed his
Mind to, were thefe Things written ;
AND
Are now publifhed as a fhankful Teftimony of the Goodnefs of the
Lord unto him, and for the Benefit of others,
•' They alfo that erred in Spirit, fhall know Underftanding ; and they that
" murmured, fliall learn Doftrine." Ifai. xxix. Z4.
V O L. L
THE THIRD EDITION.
LONDON:
Printed and Sold by JAMES PHILLIPS, George-Yard,
Lombard-Street.
M. DCC. LXXXIV.
THE ■^;"'^
CONTENTS
OF THE
FIRST VOLUME.
>'Tp H E Way of Life and Death made manlfeft, &c. Page i
The Scattered Sheep fought after, — — — ic6
Some Propofitions concerning the Only Way of Salvation, 115
The Fundamental Principle of the Gofpel, 1 2 1
A Ihort Catechifm for the fake of the Simple-hearted, 1 26
Babylon the Great defcribed, — — — — 149
The Sins of Babylon, — — — — 162
The Judgment of Babylon, — — — 186
An Objeftion anfwered, — — — 193
Some plain Queries out of the Book of the Revelations, 202
Some Ccnfiderations helping out of Babylon, — 205
An Exhortation to the prefent Powers, — — 209
The Jew Outward, — — — — 224
The Axe laid to the Root of the Old Corrupt Tree, — 267
Some AiTertions concerning Faith, — — — 274
A neceflary Warning concerning adding to, and diminlfliing
from, the Scriptures, — — _ 28c
A brief Hiftory of the State of the Church, — 299
a 2 An
iv CONTENTS.
An Exhortation relating to the Workings of the Myftcry of
Iniquity, and the Myftery of Godlinefs, — 308
A brief Account of fome Reafons, &c. — — 317
Some Confiderations propofed to the City of London, &c. 321
' to the Diftrafted Nation of England, 324
■ to the Army, — — -— 330
A Quellion to the Rulers, Teachers, and People of England, 332
An Examination of the Grounds and Caufes which are faid to induce
the Court of Bofton to make that Order of Banilhment
againft the Quakers, — — — — 348
Examination of the Appendix to J. Norton's Book, 405
Anfwer to another Paper, — — _ 429
The Authority which Chrift excluded out of his Church, 434
Some Confiderations concerning the State of Things, — 450
A Warning of Love from the Bowels of Life, — m^ 463
Where is the Wife, where is the Scribe? Sec, i Cor. i. 20. 474
THE
[ i ]
THE
TESTIMONY
O F
GEORGE FOX,
CONCERNING
ISAAC PENINGTON.
CONCERNING our dear friend and brother
Ifaac Feningcon, who is lately deceafed, and
whom the Lord hath lately taken away from among his
people, and from his wife and children j he was a fer-
viceable miniiler of the gofpel of falvation, and of the
word of life, which did fpring through him often, to
the refreflning and comforting of the church of Chrifb,
and to his own comfort, and to the praife and glory of
the Lord God. Amen.
And now all mull be content with and in the will
of the Lord God, who giveth and taketh at his own
pleafure; who hath all breath and life, and the length
of days in his hand. And lb he is well in the Lord ;
bleffed be the name of the Lord, who is over all for
ever. For, as John faith j * Bleffed are the dead
* which die in the Lord, from henceforth : yea, faith
* the fpirit, that they may reft from their labours ;
* and their works do follow them.'
You may fee what a cloud of witnelTes the apoftle
fpeaketh of, which died in the faith, and obtained a
good report} which holy and divine faith is the vic-
tory. In this faith they pleafed Godi and by this
Vol. L a faith.
[ ii J
faith, the gift of God, they had accefs to God, and
fo died in the Lord, and have his blefling from liim,
the fountain then and now. And fo all true Chriftians
are to live, that Chrift may be * magnified in their
* bodies, whether it be by life or death,' as the apof-
tle faith, Phil. i. 20. And the fame apoftle faith to
the faints ; * None of us liveth to himfelf, and no
* man dieth to himfelfj for whether we live, we live
* unto the Lord ; and whether we die, we die unto
* the Lord: whether we live, therefore, or die, we
* are the Lord's. Rom. xiv. 7, 8. And Chrift faith,
* Whofoever liveth and believeth in me, fhall never
* die. Believeft thou this ?' John xi. 26. For they
are grafted into Chrift by believing in his light, which
is the life in him.
The memorial of the juft is bleffed : * Even the
* Lord God of hofts, the Lord is his niemorial.' Hof.
xii. 5. ^ But the name of the wicked fliall rot.' Prov.
X. 7. ' and his,memory ftiall be cut off from the earth.'
Pfal. cix. 15. So ye may fee the memorial of the
juft is recorded by the juft in holy fcriptures of truth.
But my defire is, that all may fee their names written
in the Lamb's book of life, before the foundation of
the world, and rejoice in that -, * and praife God th;it
' their life is hid with Chrift in God.' Col. iii. 3.
* Precious in the fight of the Lord is the death of
' his faints.' Pfal. cxvi. 15. Therefore live the holy
and righteous life, that ye may die the death of the
righteous.
It is now above twenty years fmce Ifaac Penington
came among God's people : and fince that time he
hath gone through many exercifes, and trials, and
temptations, and fnares ; both by them that were
without, and falfe brethren; befides all his fufferings,
and cruel and tedious imprifonments, and perfecutions,
for the name and life of Chrift Jefus, and true Chrif-
tianity j which in the end, fome years before his death,
the Lord, in and with his power, fet him free from j
and gave him dominion over all, and eftabliftied him
upon his living rock and foundation, to praife his
holy
[ iii ]
holy name In his church, and among his faints and
people, in the Lord's frefh living power and fpirit.
And he did freely minifter of his living bread and
water, which he had received from above, from the
Jiving God and his Son, to the comfort of them that
feared the Lord, and keep their habitation in the
truth, in meeknefs, and in humility.
I do know that he is v/ell in the Lord, and in peace
with him through the Lord Jefus Chrift. Such as
are puffed up, and do Ivvell in their notions, may re-
joice and be glad that he is taken out of their way ;
and they may think they will have the more liberty;
becaufe that he, being a living ftone, and member of
the living head, had no fellowfliip nor unity with fuch
as were full of high fwelling vi^ords, without the life
of Chrift, the heavenly and fpiritual man ; but did
reprove fuch, and admonifh them : but fuch their
gladnefs and joy will be turned inco bitternefs, and
forrow and mourning in the end. Therefore, let all
fuch take heed and be warned, lefc the hand of the
Lord do fuddenly turn againft them. For I could de-
fire, that all were in that innocent life that he depart-
ed out of this world in : and I know that he died in
the Lord, and is blelTcd. So let his works follow
him, who is well, and at his reft with the Lord Jefus
Chrift, who is the reft of all his faithful people. To
him be glory and honour, thanks and praife, now and
for ever. Ameil.
A 2 THE
[ iv ]
THE
TESTIMONY
O F
WILLIAM PENN,
CONCERNING
ISAAC PENINGTON.
AS the memory of the juft is bleffed, fo to me
there Teems a bleffing upon thofe that have a
right remembrance of them : wherefore, to the me-
mory of this juft man, my dear friend and relation,
Ifaac Penington, I do, with a fincere and religious
afFedlion, dedicate this enfuing teftimony.
And firll, give me leave to fay fomething of his
manly capacity : the beft comes after.
He was well defcended as to his worldly parentage,
and born heir to a fair inheritance j his education was
fuitable to his quality among men, having all the ad-
vantages the fchools and univerfities of his own coun-
try could give him, joined with the converfation of
fome of the knowingefl and confiderableft men of his
own time. But his natural abilities, the gifts of his
Creator, they excelled : he was a man quick in appre-
henfion, fruitful in conception, and of a lively wit
and intelligence, all adorned with an extraordinary
mildnefs; that as other men are want to fhew their
pregnancy by Iharpnefs, he manifefted his with an en-
gaging fweetneft.
His
[ V ]
His father's ftation in publick bufinefs gave him pre-
tence enough to fhare of the world's greatnefsj but,
which brings me to his better and religious capa-
city, he, with blefled meek Mofes, refufed the Egyp-
tian glory of the world, and chofe rather a life dedi-
cated to an inquiry after God, and holy fellowfhip
with him and his defpifed Ifrael.
Very early did the Lord vifit him with a more
than ordinary manifeftation of his lovci and it had
that good effect upon him, that it kept him both
from the evils and vain worfhips of the world •, and
he became the wonder of his kindred and familiars for
his awful life, and ferious and frequent retirements,
declining all company that might interrupt his medi-
tations ; and by giving himfelf over to a life of mourn-
ing and pilgrimage, he was as unpleafant to them, as
the world was to him. Nor did this forrow flow from
a fenfe of former vice ; for he was virtuous from his
childhood ; but, with holy Habakkuk, from the dread
he had of the majefty of God, and his defire to find
a refting-place in the great day of trouble. Nothing
in thefe exercifes gave him eafe or comfort, but the
fmiles of God's countenance upon his foul; and that
it was he thirfted after with a perpetual folicitation ;
firfl, How fliall I appear ^ and then, O that I may
appear before God !
His inward exercifes and enjoyments being of a
very peculiar nature, made him take little comfort
in any of the religious focieties then known to him.
He was as one alone ; for he faw fo much of that un-
circumcifed and uncrucified flefli (which is as grafs)
profefs the myfteries of the heavenly kingdom ; I mean
people but under ordinary convidions, that had never
known Jacob's troubles, nor the fear and trembling
with which the true falvation is wrought •, and that
the fpirit and abilities of man took up fo great a part
and Ihare in religious duties among them, and the
fpirit of the Lord fo little, if any at all; that he felt
them of little or no ufe ^o him. On the contrary,
A 3 he
[ vi ]
he was often burthened with them, and prelTed in
fpirit to lay open their carnal ftate under a Chriflian
profefllon j and though they held the notions of the
truth, it was not in the precious and experimental
fenfe of the holy virtue and life of the truth ; info-
much that he found it his duty to endeavour to break
their falfe peace, and bewilder their lofty wifdom and
profefTion i rather approving of a ftate of humble
doubting, than hypocritical confidence; and that wait-
ing for the Lord's coming in fpirit, without fin, to
the falvation of the foul, that people may truly know
the Lord and his work, and from thence fpeak forth
his praife to others, than profefs the enjoyments of
other faints, that had been obtained through great
tribulations, when they had never known any fuch
thing in themfelves, and fo had no true fenfe of God's
inward work, nor the true facrifice of God's preparing
to offer to him, which only is accepted with him.
This drew reproach upon him, as a man fingular
jnd cenforious, from the worldly profeflbrs ; particu-
larly the clergy (that common eclipfe between God
and the fouls of people) ; yet thofe that with him
waited for the confolation of Ifrael, and the coming
of the Son of man in power and great glory, they
found him out, valued and honoured him, and fweet
was their fellowfhip to him ; who boafted in nothing
more than that they had nothing to boaft of, whilft
the Laodicea of their age thought Ihe wanted no-
thing : and in that emptinefs they waited to be fillecj
of him that filleth all things at hi^ coming and king-
dom, that they might be the witnefles of his refur-
reflion and appearance. Some of them died beforQ
that bleffed tune came ; feme faw it, and were glad,
and with good old Simeon departed in peace : and
others lived to fee the glory of that blefled day both
dawn and break forth upon them, to their admira-
tion and comfort; among whom my dear father-
in-law, Ifaac Fenington, was not the laft, nor lea(t qf
notfc.
About
[ vii •]
About the year 1657, it pleafed the Lord to fend
him a Peter to declare to him, that the time of the
pouring forth of the Ploly Spirit, and breaking forth
of the heavenly work of God in the fouls of men and
women was come; and many Aquilas and Prifcillas
came after, who inftrudled him in the way of God
more perfeAly. And however he was advanced above
many in his knowledge of fcripture, and had former-'
ly received many heavenly openings of truth's myfte-
ries in the foul ; yet did the Lord's way of appearance
difappoint his expecflation ; and when the light broke
forth in his heart, which his fincerity longed for, he
found a great mixture, and that he had much to lofe
and part with, before he came to be that bleffed
little child (that new and heavenly birth) which inhe-
rits the kingdom of God ; which made him cry,
' Narrow is the way, and ftrait is the gate Indeed that
* leads to life.'
But to the glory of the living God, and praife of
this juft man's memory, let me fay, neither his world-
ly ftation, the mofb confiderable of any that had clo-
fed with this way, nor the contradiftions it gave to
any former conceptions, nor the debafement it brought
upon his learning and wifdom, nor yet that reproach
and lofs that attended his publick efpoufing of it, did
deter him from owning, and cordially embracing of
it ; but with an humble and broken fpirit he fell be-
fore this holy appearance of Jefus, that true light of
men, whofe power and life he felt revealed in him,
to the faving of his foul ; and boldly owned and con-
feffed this fpiritual coming of the great MefTiah, that
was able to teach him all things : to his name his
knee truly bowed, and the fcripture was in him ful-
filled ; with Nathaniel he cried, * Thou art the Son
* of God ! thou art the king of Ifrael !' Now he faw
clearly between the precious and the vile in himfelf,
between that which was truly of God, and that which
was merely of man, in his former exercifes ; and he
was no; ftiff nor ftout in defence of his own building,
A 4 and
[ viii ]
and former conceivings : no-, but fold all for the pearl,
and became willingly a poor man in fpirit, that fo he
might enter into the kingdom of God. Thus part-
ing with all he had not received of God, he receiv-
ed a new flock from heaven, wherein God profpered
him J the dew of heaven relied upon his branch and
root, and he grew rich and fruitful in all heavenly
treafure ; ^ full of love, faith, mercy, patience, and
* long-fuffering; diligent in the work of the Lord,
' and exemplary in his duty to God and men.'
Infomuch, that I may fay he was one of a thou-
fand ; zealous^ yet tender ; wlje^ yet humble : a confiant
and early comer to meetings, and watchful and re-
verent in them : one that ever loved power and life
more than words j and as for that he waited, fo
would he he often deeply affeEied with it, and made
to utter fuch teftimonies as were greatly to the help
of the poor and the needy, the weary and heavy-
laden, the true Jojourners and travellers to the eter-
nal reft and city of God. To this his writings as
well as miniftry tended, as his enfuing worthy la-
bours will abundantly witnefs •, wherein it will be eafy
for the reader to obferve his peculiar and mighty love
to the great profelTors of religion in thefe kingdoms,
whom carnal apprehenfions, or unjuft prejudices, have
hindered from clofing with the bleffed truth, as it is
known and felt amongfi: us ; and his fervent labour to
remove thofe obllruftions, with fuch tendernefs, yet
great clearnefs, that I may venture to flyle him their
apoftle : for as in almofb every meeting, fo in every
book, the bent of his fpirit was towards them, that
thofe who made a more than ordinary profeffion of
God, not without fome ancient touches of the divine
grace, and experience of God's vifitation (though
much extinguilhed with human and worldly mixtures)
might come to know what that was they once tailed
of, how they lofl it, and which is the way to recover
the living and full enjoyment of it, even the inward
knockings and appearance of Jefus the Saviour, to
the
[ ix ]
the falvation of their fouls : and I pray God they may
anfvver his love (for he was much fpent on their ac-
count) ; that fo his miniftry, writings, travels, and
tears may not be matter of charge aiid evidence a-
gainft them in the day of their judgment.
As his outward man grew in age, his inward man
grew in grace, and the knowledge of our dear Lord
and Saviour Jefus Chrift ; for the excellency of which,
he had juftly counted all things elfe but as drofs and
dung : for it was obfervable am.ong them that right-
ly knew him in his declining time, when the candle
of his natural life burnt dimmer, his foul waxed ftron-
ger, and, like a replenilhed lamp, Ihined with greater
luftrci and truly he had a double portion of the fpirit
upon him, and was anointed with judgment and zeal
for the Lord, which appeared in two eminent refpecls.
Firft, that he was very urgent that all thofe who
knew any thing of the heavenly gift of miniftry unto
others, would always wait in their levtTal exercifes to
be endued with matter and power from on high, be-
fore they opened their mouths in a teftimony for the
Lord ; and that at all times, as well out of meetings
as in them, they might live fo near the Lord, as to
feel the key of David opening the myfteries of the
heavenly kingdom, and by experiencing the depth
of the heavenly travail, and the trials, deliverances,
and confolations of it, with that dominion and vic-
tory that in the end, by perfeverance, are obtained,
they might be as true faviours on Mount Zion, the
fait and lights of the world, thoroughly furnilhed to
every good v/ord and work, and mafter-builders in
God's houfe; that '^ a pure and living ftream of mi-
" niftry might be continued and conveyed to the ge-
" nerations to come ; that they might not only hear,
'' but tarte of what we have known of the word and
" work of life and redemption in our age." Herein
he was very careful.
But his excellency in the fecond refpeft, was his
fervent love to the heavenly union of brethren ; and
"whatever
[ X ]
whatever ftruck at that, though under ever fuch fpe-
cious pretences, he no fooner perceived it, and the
lubtil but mifchievous workings of it, than with deep
wifdom he detefted, and with his whole might en-
countered and oppofed it. "
And though by nature he was fuffering to a degree
of letting his mercy toothers almoft wound his own
foul, yet fo deeply did his love to the Lord and
his people, and to that comely order God had fet-
tled them in, engage his foul, that he was as bold
as a lion, yea, as warlike as a champion, againft
that fpirit that went up and down to fow jealou-
fies, to fmite and reflect upon the holy care of the
brethren, carnally interpreting their tender love and
great pains, as if what was done by them were not
intended to the edification of the body, but exalta-
tion of fome particular perfons over ic. This ingra-
titude and injuftice his foul abhorred, and often
mourned for fuch as were fo feduced ; as if it were
the defign of thofe tiiat had from the beginning
laid out themfclves in the fervice of God and his
people, to bring them at laft to a blind and un-
warrantable fubjeclion, that they might the better
exercife dominion over them. This evil eye he help-
ed to put out-, and, in his oppofition to this wan-
dering and deftroying fpirit, that leads out of the
love and unity of brethren, he approved himfelf a
valiant of Ifrael, a Phineas for the God of his fal-
vation -, and the rewards of heaven were poured into
his bofom •, for his holy miniftry manifeilly increaf-
e<l in life and power, and his peace flowed as a ri-
ver, and many' were the wicnefles of his enlarge-
ments. Let thofe that have lofl their firft love,
and are gone from their antient habitation, ' rage,
' and imagine vain things,' if they will : furely the
travails and teftimonies of this bleffed man will
be a witnefs againlt them that will not eafily be
filenced, and a burthen upon their backs that will
not be eafily taken off. But becaufe he defired not
their
[ xi ]
their deftruflion, but prayed earneflly to the lafl: for
their return, let not me, whilft I am writing of his
charadler, fall Hiort of his compaffions ; no, I pray
God alfo with my whole fpirit that they may re-
pent, be contrite in heart, and faithfully return; at
which, if the angels in heaven, certainly the fpirits
of the juft that dwell in heavenly places, will abun-
dantly rejoice too.
Thele two cares were chiefly and almofb conti-
nually before him. Thus he drew near to the grave,
and I now draw to an end -, but becaufe this fer-
vice is never to be done again, let me fay, that as
he was a light in the church, fo he was a blefllng
to his own family : " A moji chafte and loving
** hujhandy a very tender and prudent father, and a
" juji and kind majler.'' I will add, *' and a good
*' neighbour y and a mofl Jecret and firm friend;'* of
all unapt to believe ill, but never to report it,
much lefs to do it to any : a man that ruled his ton-
gue, fwift to hear, flow to fpeak : but, when he
did fpeak, he was ferious, yet fweet, and not un-
chearful. What fhall I fay, but that great and
many were the gifts God honoured him with, and
with* them he truly honoured his profelTion. Being
thus fit to live, he was prepared to die, and had
nothing elfe to do when that fummons was ferved
upon him, which was in the fixty-third year of his
age; at what time it pleafed the Lord he fell very
fick, under a fharp and painful diflemper, which
haflened his diffolution : however, the anguifli of
that bitter exercife could give no Ihake to internal
peace, fo well eftablilhed before it came; but he
died, as he lived, in the faith that overcomes the
world ; whofe foul being now releafed from the con-
finements of time and frailties of mortality, is af-
cended into the glorious freedom and undifturbed
joys of the juft, where, with his holy brethren the
patriarchs, prophets, apoftles, and martyrs of Jefus,
he for ever blefleth and praifeth the God and Fa-
ther
[ xii ]
ther of the righteous generations by Jefus Chrift,
God's Lamb, and our heavenly Redeemer j to whom
with the Facher be all honour, glory, might, ma-
jefty and dominion, through all the ages of his
church, and for ever. Amen.
WILLIAM PENN.
Weftminfter, the 1 2 th of the
I2th month, 1680-81.
THE
[ xiii ]
THE
TESTIMONY
O F
GEORGE WHITEHEAD,
CONCERNING
ISAAC PENINGTON.
Precious in the fight of the Lord is the death of his Saints.
PsAL. cxvi. 15.
THAT the Lord God, who is the Father of mer-
cies, is truly good unto all that wait for him,
and diligently feek after him, hath been fignally mani-
fefted and experienced in our days, as in former ages ;
and that he fails not to anfwer the defire and travail
of that foul that hath fincerity towards him, however
it be for a time clouded and bewildered under various
profeflions and notions : fincerity and honefty of hearc
in inquiring after the knowledge of truth, fhall not be
difappointed, nor mifs of its bleffed end. I hope I
Ihall not need to write an apology for this man's many
writings; but let the fmcere meaning and honeft in-
tent thereof, and the lines of true lenfe and* good-
will therein, fpeak forth the Chriftian mind and fpirit
of the author. Nor is it altogether proper for me
to apologize in fuch a cafe, having not read all thefe
his books and writings now to be expofed to publick
view, though fome of them I have at times former-
ly converfed with, as opportunities have admitted:
which.
which, as I have perceived the tefliimonies and in«
flruftions thereof to be both favoury and experimen-
tal, fo I charitably believe and hope of the reft.
But in this I can be more general and abfolute con-
cetning the perfon ; that he was a man that fincerely
foue^ht after the knowledge of the Lord God and his
holy truth j and that accordingly the Lord did vouch-
fafe gracioufly to anfwer the fincere de fires of his foul
in due time, to the fettling of his mind, and ftaying
his foul in a fecret fenfe and feeling of his living truth,
power, and fpirit, to his confirmation in that moft
precious and living faith, which was once delivered
unto the faints in light : and as God opened his
heart to the tender reception of his holy tritth and
gofpel of peace, and embracing the faithful meffen-
gers thereof-, fo he wrought both immediately by his
fpirit, and inftrumentally by his melTengers, for his
confirmation in that light and grace, from whence he
had often before received many true difcoveries, fights,
and openings ; having alfo often heard the found of
that divine breath, or fpirit of life, which moved in
his heart, before the immortal birth thereof was
brought to light, or the man-child (for which his foul
travailed) was brought forth into the world.' - He was
not willing to obfcure his divine difcoveries, nor to
put his candle under a bufliel, nor hide his talent in
the earth i but was induftrious on the Lord's behalf,
in telling and Ihewing to the fons of men what difco-
veries he had made to him of the way of life and fai-
vation from one degree to another. His inward exer-
cife of mind and attention upon our Lord Jefus Chrift
in his light, was ferious, and his converfation inno-
cent ; for he knew the prefence and bleffings of God
were only to be enjoyed in fuch a condition. The
remembrance of his zeal for the holy truth in the im-
provement of his gift is never to be extino;uifhed, nor
the record of his integrity and faithfulnefs ever to be
obliterated : his tendernefs and compaftion towards the
milled captives was fuch, that he was not wanting in
his induftrious endeavours for their deliverance out of
their
[ XV ]
their darknefs, and fpiritual blindnefs of thraldom.
He earneftly laboured with the barren profelTors under
various notions, and the flefhly Chriftians of our
times, to invite rhenn to the true light, life, and fpi-
rit of Chrillianity, thac they might not ftick in their
empty forms, and literal profeffions, fhort of the
power of godlinefs. For his eye was to the principle
of life, the true feed wherein the biciTrng is, and to
' the fpiritual immortal birth, that breathes to God,
and receives liie, nourilliment, and ftrengch from him,
and lives to him, as knowing that the flefhly birth
muft not inherit the promife, nor the fon of the bond-
woman be heir with the fon of the free. He truly
efteemed of the holy Jcriptures, and ferioufly and fre-
quently converled with them: his eye being to that
divine light and fpirit of Chriil Jefus, which opens
them, and gives the true underftanding and experi-
ence of them j for he preferred the true and fpiritual
knowledge of the holy fcriptures before all literal
knowledge and underltanding, exalting the fpirit a-
bove the letter, the povi^er above the form, the fub-
ftance above the fhadow ; as knowing that the holy
fpirit and power were the foundation and caufe of
fcriptures, and form of godlinefs. His patience and
innocency have been well known, even towards fuch
contentious and prcjudicate profefTbrs, as evilly requit-
ed his labours of love (for their good) by perverfely
expofing him in print: but he. well knew that truth
and innocence would out-live all envy and evil-mind-
ednefs. It was given to him not only to believe,
but alfo patiently to fuffer for the name of Chriil ^
he patiently luffered by reproaches, contradidions of
evil men, perfecutions and imprifonments. 1 cannot
forget the Iweet communion and fociety in the truth
which we have often had together, efpecially of lat-
ter years J being fully fatisfied, that it was a real ear-
nell of that glorious communion we fliall eternally
enjoy together in reft and glory, where the precious
and fincere foul is entered with the Lord and all his
faints and angels, and fpirits of juil men made per-
fed.
[ xvi ]
fe(5l, who are written in heaven, having obtained a
part in Chrift Tefus, the refurreftion and the life, where
the fecond death hath no power. And to this glori-
ous end and reft from our labours, others of us yet
furviving are travelling and haftening ; glory and
triumph for ever I
Now, ferious reader, in love to the truth and thy
foul, I would leave this caution with thee in relation
to the books and writings of this our deceafed friend
and brother, that if thou meeteft with any thing
therein which thou doft not underftand, cenfure it
not; be not prejudicate in any cafe, but wait till the
Lord come, who reveals fecrets, and unfolds myfte-
ries. And if any thing (efpecially of what was early
written, as in a time of infancy) feems doubtful, or
not fo clear to thy underftanding, let it have fuch
charitable conftruftion as becomes a Chriftian fpirit
towards an induftrious, honeft-hearted, and well-
meaning fervant of Chrift in his life-time, who was
and is ever blefted of the Lord, and now gone to his
reft from his labours j the general tenor and import
whereof clearly evinces his pious endeavours for the
good of the children of men, and proclaims his Chrif-
tian defign and induftry to promote truth and righ-
teoufnefs in the earth, pure religion, and Chriftianity
in I'pirit and life among men. The Lord of the har-
veft fend forth more fruitful labourers into his har-
veft and vineyard ! for the harveft is great.
G. W.
London, the 28th of the
6th Month, 1680.
THE
[ xvii ]
THE
TESTIMONY
O F
SAMUEL JENNINGS,
CONCERNING
That faithful Servant of the Lord, and
our dear Friend,
ISAAC PENINGTON,
Whom God hath lately removed from us, and
fixed in his Eternal Reft.
STRONG and powerful is that excellent arm of
the Lord, which hath been revealed and made bare
in this our day ; and very effeftual hath been the ope-
ration of it for the gathering of many into a nearnefs
to the Lord, and leavening of them into the nature of
its own purity; amongft whom God hath numbered
this our dear friend, and dignified him with that ho-
nour. And fince God hath imprefTed upon our fouls
fuch a fenfe of him, I could not be clear, in refpe^l
of my duty to God, and love to him, to fhut it up
only in my own bofom, without giving this publick
teftimony of him. Although I know I can add no-
thing to him, as to his immediate enjoyment, yet let
it be as an evidence of the elteem I had of him when
with us, and of his memorial now removed from us,
Vol. I. B which
[ xviii ]
which God will perpetuate among the righteous, when
the name of the wicked fliall rot.
As to the innocency of his converfation in general
(which is the mod evident token of the indwellings
of truth and fincerity) I have this to fay upon my
own obfervation of it, I know none that did exceed
him ; for in that God made him an adorning to the
do6lrine of the gofpel. To mention particularly thofe
divine gifts wherewith he was eminently endued,
would be too large j yet I cannot wholly omit them ;
wherefore I fliall firfl: mention that which had the firft
and chiefeft place with him -, namely, his deep tra-
vail, labour, care, and defires for the profperity of
that weighty and bleffed work, which God is carry-
ing on in the earth j to wit, the gathering of loft man
to himfelf, and bringing him to knov/ falvation in
him J in which labour God bleffed him with fuccefs,
and gave him the tongue of the learned to fpeak a
word in due feafon, fitly comparable to apples of gold
in pidures of filver^ and by the force of this word he
reached to many, to the turning of them from the
evil of their ways ; which remains as a crown upon
him, and fliall caufe him to fliine as a bright fixed
fl:ar in the firmament of God forever. And how many
living witneffes are left behind, of the ufe and fer-
vice that God made him to be of to them, who are
deeply afi^efted with the fenfe of their lofs in him,
yet dare not complain, becaufe the Lord hath done it !
O how hath my foul, with many others, been (ionfo-
lated with him, in the communion we have had toge-
ther with God, when the Lord hath opened his mouth
in wifdom, and caufed his doflrine to drop as the rain,
and his fpeech to diftill as dew on the tender plants !
O my dear brother ! (or rather to many of us wajfl:
thou, in God, a father) my foul is often pained, in
the fenfe of thy abfence, for our fakes: yet greatly
comforted and fatisfied in God for thy fake : for our
lofs (though great) doth not equal thy gain. O how
often haft: thou been opened, and thy fpirit fweeten-
ed, and in that fweetnefs drawn forth to minitter to
thofe
[ xix ]
thofe that were Ifraelites indeed, when thy words were
fofter than oil. Tweeter than honey, and more refrefli-
ing than the pureil wine j but to the wicked and de-
ceitful as penetrating arrows. And although it were
fo contrary to his nature to touch with firife (being of
fo meek a fpirit), yet God, that guides the meek in
judgment, did fometimes concern him in a dreadful,
yet true teftimony againft all that would divide in Ja-
cob, and fcatter in Ifrael. Yet how intire was his
love to all thofe who had a right value of, and abode
in, the unity of the pure truth, againft all the con-
temners and invaders of it ! how affedlionately and
reverently have I heard him fpeak of thofe, who were
the meffengers of glad tidings to us, and publiiHiers
of that peace which he is now in the certain poffefiion
of, as the reward and end of the juft and upright ! but
efpecially great was his regard to, and efteem of, thofe
who have faithfully borne the heat and burthen of the
day ; whofe arrows the Lord direfled to the wound-
ing of the man of fin, and who yet remain as a bow
that abides in its ftrength, and wax yet Itronger and
ftronger : thofe he did account (as indeed they are)
worthy of double honour. And although, tlirough
the infirmity of his nature, and wcaknefs of his confti-
tution, he was made unfit for much hard and publick
travel j yet his conllant practice did declare he had a
vigorous and a6tive mind, truly bowed to the fervice
of truth, as may appear by the many private and fea-
fonable vifits he made by writing, unto thofe whorn
he had no other opportunity of being helpful to ; and
much fervice he had of this kind, beyond what many
were fenfible of. Many young, and tender, and dif-
treffed ones will lament their lofs in him, who was fo
cafily touched with a feeling of their exercife, from
the fenfe and remembrance he had of his own i and
was very ready, and alfo fir, to contribute fomething
to their relief: for as he was once a man of forrows,
and well acquainted with grief, fo this benefit did he
reap by it, to learn experience by the things he fuf-
B 2 feredi
[ XX ]
fered •, and all the tribulation he met witli did but
make way for the fuperabounding of his confolaiion
through Chrift.
What he was in his family, and efpecially to his
dear and tender relations (whom he left weeping be-
hind him, though not without hope) I fhall not need
to fay much of j knowing they themfelves cannot be
without a larger teftimony than mine concerning the
matter : only this I fhall fay, I would to God there
were more fo fit for our example in each relation.
Having thus far fincereiy difcharged my duty, in
giving this teftimony, I am willing to confine myfelf
to as much brevity as I can ; though much more might
be truly faid of him, and it is hard to fay fo little.
Yet, for further fatisfaftion to any concerning him,
that are defirous of it, I refer them to his writings,
now publifhed together for common benefit: only let
me give the reader this advice, that as God gave hiiii
wifdom to divide his word aright, fo do thou read it
in the fame wifdom to receive it aright j for in that
only canii: thou take a right meafure of him, or have
true fellowfliip with him. I have only this to add, as
a caution to all, that as truth hach many enemies,
fo this our dear fnend, for truth's fake, hath fome al-
fo i concerning whom I have a feeling, that they will
be ready to grudge and take offence at this our inno-
cent and juftifiable pradtice, to preferve the remem-
brance of the faithfulnefs of thofe who have faithfully
finifhed their courfe, and, through the power of Chrift,
have had viftory over the laft enemy. There can
be no other ground for this, but envy or ignorance ;
and therefore, to prevent fo ill an effeft (let it fpring
from whom it will) let fuch know, that it was once
not only allowed, but commanded of God, to write
the dead blefted that die in the Lord, as well as to
efteem them fo. And fince it is undeniably the
mind of God * that the juft Ihall be had in everlaft-
* ing remembrance / what can be more effedlual to
it, than by our written teftimony to commend their
' memorial
[ xxi ]
memorial to our pollerity, that they may glorify the
God of their fathers, and, a'ter their example, walk
in his way ; in which the Lord, who gathered us
j, into it, prefer ve us to the time of our death, t"har,
f with the worthies of the Lord that are gone before
us, we may receive the. crown of life.
Samuel Tennings,
B 3 THE
[ xxii ]
THE
TESTIMONY
OF
AMBROSE RIGGE,
Of the LIFE and DEATH of
ISAAC PENINGTON.
THE Spirit of the Lord is upon me, and the
fountain of love and life is open in my foul, and
freely floweth towards all my dear brethren and fellow-
labourers in the great harveft of our Lord and Mafter,
who are yet in the body ; and the renewed remem-
brance of them whofe earthly tabernacles are diflblved,
and have put on immortality, is often with me in en-
deared love; in which at this time I behold dear Ifaac
Penington, in lading union with us, though abfent
in body J whofe work and labour of love in his day is
not forgotten of God, nor his people. He was
brought to the true fold in an early hour of the gofpel
day, as it broke forth in our times, and a reft was
prepared for him in a weary land; and the Lord heard
the cry of his foul in the deep> and prepared a deli-
verer for him, out of the great fea of waves, troubles,
and uncertainties; and he came to the rock with joy
when he law him, and he built upon him, and was ef-
tablifhed and fortified againft every ftorm and tempeft
of the boifterous feas, which lifted up themfelves
againft him 3 and they were not a few, nor of fmall
confe-
[ xxiii ]
confequence : his trials were great, -both inward and
outward, in which he quitted himfelf as a valiant
champion in the Lamb's war. The Lord was with
him, and delivered him out of all his troubles, and
filled his cup, and often caufed it to overflow, to the
refrefhment of many; and freely he dealt his bread to
the hungry, and his cup he handed to the thirfty:
many widows and facherlefs were relieved by him ; his
life flowing forth as a fountain mofl: clear, both to the
freed and imprilbned feed : a man of a contrite and
humble fpirit, in the innocency of a little child, by
which he had entrance into the kincrdom of immor-
talityi where he now refl:eth, out of the reach of the
opprefl!br. He was a man of forrows, and acquainted *
with griefs; his life was a pilgrimatory paflfage to eter-
nity. Who can fay he oppreiTed them, or was charge-
able to them ; though part of his outward fubfl:ance
he lofl: for the truth's teftimony ? He was a man filled
with the power and fpirit of the Lordj who, both in
word, writing, and converfation, gave teftimony to
the world that he fought a city whofe builder and
maker was God. He was a faithful witnefs for the
faving truth, againft all bad fpirits and unfound mem-
bers, unmeet for that body which God hath now pre-
pared to do his will : and his manufcripts left behind
proclaim him a witnefs againft all falfe hirelings, and
their unrighteous pradlices and deceitful doctrines,
whereby the earth both is, and hath for ages been
corrupted; and the minds of young and old filled
with unfound principles and beliefs in the weighty
things relating to another world ; and give a true and
lafting teftimony to the ftrait and narrow path of life
and righteoufnefs. He was endowed with wifdom to
difcover the living child's mother, and give her the
poflTefllon ; for the fpirit of a difcerning and of a found
mind was in him, and the fecrets of the Lord were
upon his tabernacle. His upright Chriftian fpirit ren-
dered him lovely to the upright, and formidable to the
wicked. My heart is full of tender love to his life,
who died in the Lord, and his works follow him ; and
B 4. therefore
[ xxiv ]
therefore doth my foul believe him blelTed with the
righteous in his death. He was a man of a retired
fpirit, and little minded the things of this lifej but
loved juftice, and delighted in mercy. The produfts
of his life were the fruits of the Spirit of Truth, there-
fore he is recorded amongft the living as one of the
Lord's worthies, whofe remembrance fhall live to ge-
nerations to come. His teftimony he kept to the
end, and finiihed his courfe v/ithjoy; fo, on his be-
half, let the living praife the Lord, as doth my foul
at this time j even fo for ever.
Ambrose Rigge.
Gatton in Surry, the 22d of
the Tenth Month, 1679.
THE
[ XXV ]
THE
TESTIMONY
O F
THOMAS ZACHARY,
FOR
ISAACPENINGTON.
AH ! my dear and ancient friend ! what fiiall I fay
of thee ? Thou haft been a long traveller, even
from thy youth, through Egypt and Babylon, and
therein defolate, feeking reft, but finding none; till
the Lord God, the Shepherd of Ifrael (who heard thy
bemoanings) found thee out, and gathered thee by
his Shepherd's crook out of and from all the barren
mountains and wild obfcure places, wherein thou waft
wearied and loft; even in the wildernefs did the Lord
allure thee, and bring thee out to his own flock, to
hear and know his own voice from the voice of all
ftrange fpirits, and to feed among his lambs in the
paftures of life -, whereby thou greweft ftrong in the
living word of power, and hadft wherewith to minif-
ter of the words of life plentifully to others, through
the divine prefence and overflowing life of the Father
in thee and with thee ; whereby many have been awak-
ened, ftrengthened, and comforted in the Lord alone,
and the very joy of God's falvation hath reached to
the mourners of Ifrael. Ah ! a true labourer haft
thou been in God's vineyard ; and fowed, in much
broken-
[ xxvi ]
brokcnnefs of heart and tears, the precious feed of
God's kingdom, and waited in the faith and patience
for the coming up thereof, and haft feen the dcfire of
thy foul anfwered -, and now is thy work, labour, and
travail overj and as thou haft fowed in the Spirit, thou
art now reaping of the Spirit, life everlafting, and art
releafed out of this ftrait and troublefome world,
wherein thou wert long a ftranger and fufFerer, and
hadft no refting-place in itj for thou earneftly fought-
cft for a city that had foundations, whofe builder and
maker was God alone j and now thou haft found it,
and art gathered into it, inheriting thy own manfion
of peace, reft, and joy, which the God of the juft
hath provided for thee.
O bleffed and praifed be the God of Abraham,
Ifaac, and Jacob, who is not the God of the dead,
but of the living ! and from the living afcend heavenly
praifes and hallelujahs to him for ever and ever.
Thomas Zachary,
THE
[ xxvii ]
THE
TESTIMONY
O F
ROBERT JONES,
CONCERNING
ISAAC PENINGTON.
IN the remembrance of my dear friend deceafed, I
had fomething lived with me, to give in as in a
way of teftimony, according to the knowledge and
fenfe I had of him. He was a man very tender in
fpirit, and of a broken heart before the Lord, as I
often had a living (hnfe thereof 5 the fenfe of the power
of an endlefs life being often upon him, which did
afFed: many, breaking them down in great tendernefs.
His teftimony for the Lord and his blelTed truth was
very found and weighty, to the reaching the con-
fciences of many. His labour in writing was in great
tendernefs, to the gathering of the fcattered, to the
building up of the convinced, and to the comfort and
confolation of the broken-hearted j for great were the
bowels of mercy in .him, even to all, efpecially to
fuch who had breathings in their hearts after the Lord,
and the way of his holinefs; his travail was greatly
for fuchi and by his tendernefs in the Lamb's fpirit he
had an influence upon many, by reaching to the good
in them j for his bowels were moved for them. Well 1
his reward is with the Lord for ever. In his family
he
'[ xxviii ]
he WIS a m.in of knowledge, and of true watchfal-
nefs, that all thofe that were under his care might be
kept favoury in all things ; being as a weaned child
from the world, and thofe things that perifh with the
ufing. His nioderation in all things was well known
to many. What (hall I fay ? He was a man wholly
devoted in his heart to fcrve the Lord his God i yea,
I am perfnaded it was his delight to do his will. I
have had knowledge of him near t^venty years, efpe-
cially in fuffering; for it pleafed the Lord fo to order
it, that our lot fell together in prifon feveral times ;
and I may fay it was well it was fo; for being made
willing by the power of God (that did attend him) to
fuffer with great patience, cheerfulnefs, contented-
nefs, and true nobility of fpirit, he was a good exam-
ple to me and others. I do not remember that ever 1
faw him cift down or dejedted in his fpirit in the time
of his clofc confinement, nor fpeak hardly of thofe
that perfecuted him ; for he was of that temper as to
love enemie?, and to do good to thofe that hated him;
having received a meafure of that virtue from Chrill,
his Mafter, that taught him fo to do. Indeed I may
fay, in the prifon he was a help to the weak, being
made inllrumental in the hand of the Lord for that
end; with much more than at prefenc I fliall exprefs.
O the remembrance of the glory that did often over-
fhadow us in the place of confinement ! lb that indeed
the prifon was made by the Lord to us (who was pow-
erfully with us) as a pleafmt palace ! I was often, with
many more, by th^^f llreamings of life that did many
times run through his veffel, greatly overcome with
the pure prefence and overcoming love of our God,
that was plentifully fhed abroad in our hearts. If I
Ihould look back and call to remembrance my know-
ledge further of him, I could write much; but this
fhort teftimony readily fpringing up in my heart was
with me to give forth in the behalf of my dear friend.
And this further I have to add ; indeed when I heard
of his departure, it came near me; but confidering
how it wasjiim, being fully perfuaded he was fitted
i^'f. for
[ xxix ]
for his change, in the will of the Lord I was fatisfied,
counting his ftate happy ; having faith in God that he
had laid down his head in peace, and entered into
endlefs glory, where forrow fhall be no more; having
done the work his Mafter (Chrifl the Lord) gave him
to do. He kept the faith to the end, and has finifhed
his courfe with joy, leaving a good favour behind him.
With his fpirit my foul has union. At the writing
hereof, my heart is broken into tendernefs, and mine
eyes run over with tears. Oh ! let us follow after
him in faithfulnefs, fulfilling what is behind of our
teftimony for the Lord and his truth, being faithful to
the death, as our brother that is gone before us was
(who has left a good example behind him) ; fo will
the crown of life be our portion for ever! That ic
may be fo with my ov/n foul, and with the fouls of all
my tender brethren and filters every where, is the cry
of my heart to the Lord my God ; and I hope it will
be fo till time Ihall be no more with me in this world.
Robert Jones.
THE
[ XXX ]
THE
TESTIMONY
O F
THOMAS EVERNDEN,
CONCERNING
ISAAC PENINGTON.
CONCERNING our dear friend and brother Ifaac
Penington, I have a teftimony ril'eth in my
heart.
I, with many thoufands more in this our age, day,
and generation, have caufe to admire, blefs, praife,
and magnify the name of the Lord God of heaven and
earth, in that he hath fo largely manifefted him-
felf in the hearts of male and female, to the tender-
ing their hearts, and enlightening their underfland-
ingSj and to the gathering them out of the empty
profeflions, and by-ways, and crooked paths of this
world, and to the purifying and fandifying their hearts
by his powerful word j and giving them a good un-
derftanding in the knowledge of himfelf, and the
deep myfteries of his heavenly kingdom ^ and enabling
many of them, in the openings and motion of the
fame life and power, to fpeak and write, to the an-
fwering unto the witnefs of God in many, and for
the joy, comfort, and eftablilhment of others. I can
truly fay, dear Ifaac Penington was one of that num-
ber ; for after full feven years travail and deep exercife
of mind amongft the empty profeflions, and that God
had
[ xxxi ]
had fhewed me mercy in drawing a little nearer to me,
and ihining by his glorious light into my confcience,
whereby I came to fee the formality of profeffors, and
the emptinefs of all forms and profeflions that ftood
in man's will, and the vilenefs of my own heart, and
the necefllty of being faved and fanttifiedj and that
there was no other way, but through and by the light
of Chrift Jefus, that had wrought thus powerfully to
convince me j then did fome of this good man's writ-
ings come to my view, which anfwered to the light,
life, and truth, which was raifed of the Lord in my
heart, as face anfwers face in a glafs ; I can truly fay,
to my joy, and comfort, and confolation, and efla-
ment in the truth. So that the life and testimony of
him was and is truly precious to me, and to all the
faithful; and he Ihall be had in everlafting remem-
brance, who in the time of his life was a true fubjedt
in the kingdom of Jefus, and a faithful labourer in his
vineyard, and fufferer for the truth, in the patience
of the Lamb : whofe delight was to devote himfelf to
retirednefs, and to wait upon God, to feel his power-
ful love to abound in his tender heart (this he ac-
counted his greateft glory and riches) j by which he
was made entirely to love and have a good efteem of
his faithful brethren in the truth i and was a man of
peace and love to all, and greatly delighted in the
love and unity of the brethren j and where the con-
trary appeared, it grieved his tender heart. And glad
I am that it was my lot to be with him the two laft
meetings that he was at ; the firft of which was in the
city of Canterbury, I being at that tim.e very weak in
body ; and it lay upon me from the Lord to go to the
meeting, where I found him, together with friends,
•waiting in filence upon the Lord; and when I had fat
down with them, O the mighty power of the Lord
God that defcended upon us ! fo that I could fay the
fountain of the great deeps was opened 1 and O the
powerful, pleafant, and cryftal ftreams, how did they
abundantly flow into our hearts ! And his cup was
made to overflow, to the watering and refrclhing of
the
[ xxxii ]
the tender-hearted ; fo that God did make me a wlt-
nefs of the feal of his teftimony, with many more, at
thofe two laft meetings, as at fome other times, where
the life and power of God did abound in him, and
fweetly flow from him. And fully fatisfied I am that
the Lord hath taken him in a good time, and from
the evil to come j and that he hath laid down his head
in reft and everlafting peace with the Lord, where he
is " at reft from his labours, and his works follow
«< him ;" and is in a full and perpetual enjoyment of
life and glory. And although his body be in the duft,
yet his life fpeaks, and his name is precious, and ftiall
be had in everlafting remembrance.
Farewell, dear Ifaac ! blefs'd man of peace and love s
Thou art i'th'glorious reft of God above.
And this upon my heart the Lord hath feal'd j
For by his Spirit to me it is reveal'd.
Thomas Evernden.
THE
» [ xxxiii ]
THE
TE STIMONY
O F
CHRISTOPHER TAYLOR,
FOR
ISAAC PENINGTON.
BLESSED be the God of Abraham, Ifaac, and
Jacob, and of all his holy ones, from the begin-
ning of the world until nowj who hath kept all his
by his mighty power and terrible name ; who in all
ages and generations, and under all miniftrations and
difpenfations, have feared and ferved him : glory be
to his name for ever. And he hath been a God of
eternal love unto them, and it hath been his banner
fpread over them, and is at this day, and hath been in
all ages, and they have faithfully ferved him, and
offered holy offerings unto him, in his pure fear and
reverence, from the fcnfe of his living and pure
ftreaming love j and the blefling of God hath been
and is with them, and his glory he ftill puts upon
them, that they may bring forth unto him ; and in
the end, when they have faithfully ferved the Lord in
their day and generation, they may return to their long
home, and be at reft with God for ever, their portion
for evermore.
Of this number was dear Ifaac Penington; a wor-
thy man in his generation, dearly beloved of his
God, and preferved by him ; fo that many can fay
Vol. I, C how
£ xxxiv ]
how dear he was unto them, whilft he lived amongfl:
them ! And though dead, he yet liveth and fpeaketh
in thofe pure and holy tcflimonies he hath borne unto
truth, both in word and writing; fo that many hearts
can teftify and bear witnefs that he was truly fent of
God to publilh his moft blefled and holy name; for
he was a tender-fpirited man, and dear to the Lord,
and near unto his heart, where he tenderly lived and
breathed, that in all things he might do his facred
will. Ah ! dear Ilaac Penington was a man near
and dear unto my foul, as he was unto many others,
becaufe of his inward tender- fpiritednefs 1 And me-
thinks I feel him ftill in the courfe of his life, fmce I
have of late years more efpecially known him. He
was a man truly endued with humility ; and when we
have been together, and he would open his heart unto
me, it would fo anfwer my own life, and the exercifes
of my own condition, that my heart would be fo af-
feded with joy, that with melting bowels of God's
eternal love we have often met and laluted each other;
and I may fay, dear brother Ifaac Penington, thou
liveft indeed, and my foul lives with thee. And what
happinefs is it, that though dear and tender friends
may be outwardly parted, yet are they dearly united
together in the Lord Jefus ! And my foul at this time
is overcome, melted, and broken within me, at the
dear remembrance of thee. O dear Ifaac liveth, and
his life is with us, and not feparated from us. And I
pray God that every one Avho now profeffeth the holy
name of God may live as he did, in the finglenefs of
their hearts; intirely, above all things, prelfing to be
united unto the holy power of God alone 1 His cries
were daily to God, that all truth's profefTors might be
really pofTeflTors of eternal life ; and his miniftry was
accompanied with a holy, heavenly zeal, in the open-
ing life of God's eternal power and wifdom j fo that
the true birth within would many times leap at the
fweet falutation of his life ; and the tender power of
God, that fpoke through him, would precioufly raife
the life ia others to a fweet harmonioufnefs, livingly
to
[ XXXV ]
to praife God; for wxiat he innocently and humbly
aimed at, both in his words and writings (I can tes-
tify with many others) was God's pure glory. An in-
tire innocent man he was, without guile in his heart j
a true Nathaniel indeed ; a lovely initrument in God's
hand to the turning many to righteoulhefs, both by
word and writing; a true tender friend to all that
waited for God's falvation every where; and fuch who
laboured under inward exercifes and travails of foul,
he travailed with and for, and miniftered unto many
fuch, both by word and writing, that they might come
to be led by the fpirit of true fandification, and know
God's falvation.
About thirty years fmce, as I remember, in the
North of England, I rnet with a book of Ifaac Pen-
ington's, which had this fcripture following, as the
fubjed whereof he treated: Job xxxviii. 2. " Who is
*' this that darkeneth counfel by words without know-
" ledge?" This fcripture, and the miatcer of his dif-
courfe upon it, in that book, at that time I was af-
feded with; for at that time I, with others, had
precious openings of many heavenly things ; being
then fenfible that no man could be a minifter of
Chrift Jefus without the work of regeneration wrought
in his own heart-, and not only fo, but he rnuft be
fent of God to publifh the everlafting gofpel, in the
alone evidence of his power and Spirit, without the
mixture of his own will, and obfcrving his own time
when to fpeak, and alfo to be filent; fo that we be-
lieved and were convinced it was to be a fpiritual
miniftry, and to be difpenfed in the motion and evi-
dence of the fame Spirit, otherwife it was *' a darken-
" ing of counfel by words without knowledge.'*
This was my condition, with many others at that time,
becaufe we fpent many precious openings upon our
own wills, and the wills and lufts of others.
Now this I bring to fignify that dear Ifaac Pening-
ton, in thofe days, had precious openings of truth,
and was a man waiting for the kingdom of God, to
be further inllrudted therein, and came to attain the
C 2 end
[ xxxvi ]
end of his divine breathings and heavenly defires%
And thofe that honeftly, in the fear of God, read his
writings, may fee how clearly he hath writ concerning
the things of God's kingdom j that fo both fmall and
great, profefTors and profane, may, as in a glafs, fee
their conditijons ; and thofe that as yet have not re-
pented, may confider betimes, and repent, left they
perifh,
Christopher Taylor.
THE
[ xxxvii ]
THE
TESTIMONY
O F
THOMAS ELLWOOD,
CONCERNING
ISAAC PENINGTON.
ALTHOUGH I am noc ignorant that many
weighty and living teftimonies have been al-
ready given in by true and faithful witnefles upon the
fame occafion, which might well feem fufficient to
excufe mine ; yet am I not thereby clear, but find a
prefTing upon my fpiric to write a few lines alfo con-
cerning this my dear deceafed friend j to which, I
confefs, I am induced, and in fome fort engaged,
by the double obligation of afFedtion and gratitude.
Love him I did, and that inrirely, and fure I am very
defervedly 5 for he was worthy indeed of love from all
men, but more efpecially from m.e, to whom he had
been abundantly kind: for in the day wherein it pleafed
the Lord to awaken my foul, and call me out of the
pollutions of the world, with refpedl alike to worfhip
and converfation (for which I became the derifion of
my country, the fcorn and contempt of my familiars
and acquaintance, and i'n a manner an outcaft alfo,
expofed as it were in the world to fhift in it) how-
welcome was I then to him ! how affedlionately did
he receive me ! how regardfully did he take care of
C 3 mel
[ XXXV in ]
me ! how tenderly and like a father did he watch over
me, that I might not be drawn back, or any way be
betrayed from the fimplicity of truth, as I had re-
ceived it ! And can I ever forget his love, or let his
manifold kindnefs flip out of my mind ! Oh no ; the
remembrance of him is pleafant to me, and I think
not of him without delight: for as a friend, I truly
loved him; as a father (for fuch his care of me ren-
deted him to me) I reverenced him ; as an elder, I
honoured him, and that (as he right well deferved)
with double honour. My fpirit was truly united to
hisj yea, my foul was linked and knit unto him in
the holy covenant of life, which death hath not been
able to diflblve. Bear with me therefore a little, I
intreat thee, whoever thou art, under whofe eye thefe
lines may chance to fall, if I take liberty to exprefs
my fenfe of this my beloved friend ; wherein if I
feem fomewhat particular, know that my acquaintance
with him was fo.
He was naturally furnifhed with a fharp and excel-
lent wit, and that well cultivated and polifhed with an
ingenuous and liberal education j his difpofition was
courteous and affable, free from pride and affedlation.
His ordinary difcourfe cheerful and pleafant, neither
morofe nor light, but innocently fweet, and tempered
with fuch a ferious gravity, as rendered his converfe
both delightful and profitable.
From his childhood (as I have heard him occaflon-
illy fay) he was reljgioufly inclined, and fought the
Lord in his tender years. And although the way of
truth was not then fo cafl up unto hinn, as fince,
through the goodnefs of the Lord, it was ; yet that
he had then, ^t times, fome true touches and taftes of
life, fome openings and fights of heavenly things,
(though not fo clear, unmixed, and abiding as after)
the treatifes which he then wrote do manifeftly de-
clare. And albeit, at the firft manifeftation of truth
unto him in this prefent difpenfation, he was not
without doubts and jealoufies concerning it, as him-
felf relates i nor free for fome time from difpvtes and
reafon»
[ xxxlx ]
realbnings againft the meannefs of its appearance, yet,
after it pleafed the Father, in the riches of his grace,
to reveal his Son in him, thereby giving him to fee,
and certainly to know, what was that good, and ac-
ceptable, and perfeft will of God ; O how joyfully
did he receive it! how willingly did he bow unto it!
how readily did he yield his neck to the yoke of
Chrift ! and how confbantly and delightfully did he
wear it ! Did he then regard the pleafures of the times,
or value the preferments and honours of the world,
though living at that time in the favour and affluence
of it ? No, no : he turned his back upon it all ;
efteeming the reproach of Chrift greater riches than
the treafures of Egypt -, and cafting down his crown
at the foot of Jefus, he willingly became a fool to the
world, and to the wifdom thereof, that he might be
made truly wife to God. And furely he obtained his
defire herein j for as he honoured the Lord, and pre-
ferred him above all j fo the Lord did highly honour
him, and gave him liberally of the true and heavenly
wifdom, adorned with humility ; fo that he was
learned, and yet humble ; full of knowledge (hea-
venly knowledge) yet not puffed up thereby. And
as he had freely received of the Lord, fo did he freely
and readily communicate thereof (as the following
fheets do witnefs) unto fuch as ftood in need of coun-
fel, advice, information, or direftion in their travel
to the heavenly country. To which fervice he was
fitted and very well furnifhed by the experiences of
his own travel j for the Lord had led him through
many a ftreight and difficulty; through many temp-
tations, trials, and exercifes, by which he had tried
and proved him. Not only through the Red-Sea and
the Wildernefs had he palTed, but the bottom of Jor-
dan alfo had he feen, and the upholding delivering
arm of the Lord through all had he known and felt -,
whereby he was able to fpeak a word of information to
the bewildered paffengcr; a word of encouragement
to the weary and fainting traveller ; a word of com-
fort to the abided foul, and of confolation to the
C 4 wounded
[ ''I ]
wounded fpirir. And O ! how fweetly have I heard
it flow from him! How has it dropped like the dew,
and dillilled like the gentle rain! Ah! how tender,
how compafTionate, how full of bowels and feeling
fympathy was he ! Surely his words have been many
times as apples of gold in j^idures of filver. For of
a truth the Lord was with him, and his heavenly
power did often fill his temple; and the Spirit of the
Lord refted upon him, and the fruits thereof were
plentifully brought forth through him, in love, in
joy, in peace, in long-fufFering, in gentlenefs, in good-
nefs, in faith, in meeknefs, and m temperance j fo
richly did the word of the Lord dwell in him. His
delight was in the fervice of God, to which he was
wholly given up, and in it fpent moft of his time,
either publickly in meetings waiting upon God, or pri-
vately in vifiting and miniftering unto thofe that
were diftrefTed, or any way afflifted in mind or body ;
and when at home, he was frequent in retirements,
and very inward with the Lord. Very fervent he was
in prayer, and very frequent ; for the Spirit of grace
and fupplication was plentifully poured upon him, by
which he often wreftled with the Lord, and not in
vain. The holy fcriptures he read much, and with
great delight and profit: for he made it not a curfory
or formal bufinefs, nor fought to pick out the mean-
ing by his natural wit or learning; but, with a great
compofednefs of mind, and reverence of fpirit, waited
to receive the true fenfe of them from the openings
of that divine Spirit, by which the penmen of them
were infpired. Great and (trong was the travail of
his fpirit for the converfion of others ; and in a more
efpecial manner did his love flow and bowels yearn
after the profeffors of religion, for whom he continu-
ally and earneftly laboured, both by word and writing,
(not ceafing to feek them to his dying day) that they
might be brought off from the fhadows, and come at
length to inherit fubft.ince. And bleflfed be the Lord,
by the powerful operation of the Spirit of God,
through his miniftry, many were turned to the trutl^,
and
[ ^y^ ]
and many confirnaed in it: for the Lord was with him,
and fpake by him ; fo that his teaching was with di-
vine authority, in the demonftration of the Spirit,
and of power. To the world, and the aPrairs of it,
he was very much a ftranger; but deeply experienced
in the tilings of God: for his affeftion being (et on
things above, his converfation was in heaven, and his
life hid with Chrift in God. He was but a pilgrim
on the earth, and is now gone home. In his family
he was a true pattern of goodnefs and piety ; not only
by his grave example, but by his favoury inilrudions
and exhortations to godlinefs. To his wife he was a
moft alFecbionate hufband; to his children, a lovino-
and tender father ; to his fervants, a mild and gentle
mafterj to his friends, a firm and faft friend; to the
poor, compaflionate and open-hearted j and to all
courteous and kind. Very zealous he was for the
truth, unwearied in promoting it, bold and undaunted
in the defence of it, faithful in his teftimony to it
patient and cheerful in his fuifering for it. A rio-ht
good and pious man indeed was he; one that tculy
feared God, and warily efchewed evil.
How great and various his exercifes were in the
times of his former profeffions ; how earned and pref-
fing his fpirit then was after the pure enjoyment of
God; how ftrange and admirable the dealings of the
Lord were with him ; and how far he came at length
to fee the travail of his foul, and to be fatisfied; as
, himfelf of all men belt knew; fo he hath occafionally
Scattered here and there a hint thereof, in feveral
pieces of the following books: which, for the read-
er's fatisfaition, I had once thought to have collefled
afid prefented here together; but finding, amongit his
loofe papers, a fummary account thereof, written with
his own hand, above a dozen years ago, when beino-
in bonds for Chrift's fake, he was fick near unto death^
I chofe rather to tranfcribe that hither, and refer the
more curious and induftrious reader to the feveral
books and papers of the enfuing volumes, wherein he
hath touched the fame fubjefl ; as namely, T£?e JFay
of
[ xlii ]
of Life and Deaths &c. in the preface, and in the poft-
fcript. Babylon the Great defcrihed, &c. The fcattered
Sheep, &c. An Examination of the Grounds, Sec. and
A Glafs for Profeffors. Where is the Wife ? Ohftrvations
on Roiti. xiv. 20. Of the Church in its firft and purefi
State. The holy Truth and People defended. Not to enu-
merate each particular.
The account he gives of his fpiritual travail is as
followeth :
" A true and faithful relation, in brief, concerning
" myfelf, in reference to my fpiritual travails,
** and the Lord's dealings with me. I fay true
** and faithful, becaufe it is of the truth, and
" not given forth in my own will, but in the
<* Lord's will and requirings of me at this time,
" for his fervice. The relation is as follows :
^* I have been a man of forrow and afflidion from
** my childhood, feeling the want of the Lord, and
«< mourning after him : feparated by him from the
** love, nature, and fpirit of this world, and turned
" in fpirit towards him, aJmoft ever fincc I could re-
** member.
'* In the fenfe of my loft eftate, I fought after the
" Lord ; I read the fcriptures -, I watched over mine
" own heart; I cried unto the Lord for what I felt
*' the want of ^ I blelTed his name in what he merci-
*« fully did for me, and beftowed on me, &c. What-
*^ ever I read in the fcriptures as the way of God to
*f my underftanding, I gave myfelf to the faithful
" pradice of; being contented to meet with all the
'' reproach, oppofition, and feveral kinds of fuffer-
*' ings, which it pleafed the Lord to meafure out to
*' me therein. And I cannot but fay that the Lord
*' was good unto me, did vifit me, did teach me, did
« help me, did teftify his acceptance of me many
*« times, to the refrefliing and joy of my heart before
" him.
« But
[ xllii ]
*' But my foul was not fatisfied with what I met
*' with, nor indeed could be, there being further
" quickenings and preflings in my fpirit, after a more
" full, certain, and fatisfa6tory knowledge j even after
the fenfe, fight, and enjoyment of God, as was tef-
tified in the fcriptures to have been felt and enjoyed
' in the former times : for I faw plainly that there
was a ftop of the ftreams, and a great falling fhort
" of the power, life, and glory which they parcook
" of. We had not fo the Spirit, nor were fo in the
'^ faith, nor did fo walk and live in God, as they did.
" They were come to mount Sion, and tTie heavenly
*' Jerufalem, &c. which we had hardly fo much as
" the literal knowledge or apprehenfion what they
" were. So that I faw the whole courfe of religion
" among us was, for the mod part, but a talk, to
" what they felt, enjoyed, polTefied, and lived in.
" This fenfe made me fick at heart indeed, and fet
" me upon deep crying to God, clofe fearching the
" fcriptures, and waiting on God, that I might re-
^' ceive the pure fenfe and underftanding of them,
** from and in the light, and by the help of his Spirit.
*' And what the Lord did beftow on me in that ftate,
" with thankfulnefs I remember before him at this
" very day : for he was then my God, and a pitier
*' and a watcher over me ; though he had not pleafed
" then to direft me how to ftay my mind upon h^m.
*^ And then I was led (indeed I was led, I did not
" run of myfelf) into a way of feparation from the
** worfhip of the world into a gathered fociety: for
" this both the fcripture and the Spirit of God in me
*' gave teilimony unto i and what we then met with,
" and what leadings and help we then felt, there is a
** remembrance and teitimony in my heart to this day,
" But there was fomcwhat wanting, and we miftook
" our way : for whereas we fhould have prefled for-
** ward into the fpirit and power, we ran too much
" outward into the letter and form : and though the
" Lord in many things helped us, yet therein he was
" againfl: us, and brought darknels, confufion, and
" fcatter-
[ xliv ]
'^ fcatrering upon us. I was forely broken and dark-
" cned, and in this darkened (late fometimes lav Hill for
** a long lealbn, fecretly mourning and crying out to the
** Lord night and day. Sometimes Iran about, heark-
*"* cning after what might appear or break forth in
** others ; but never met with any thing whereto there
*' was the leafl anfwer in my heart, fave in one people,
** who had a touch of truth} but I never exprefled fo
" much to any of them, nor indeed felt them at all
*^ able to reach my condition.
" At laft, after all my dillrelTes, wanderings, and
*' fore travails, I met with I'ome of the writings of
*^ this people called Quakers, which I caft a flight
*•' eye upon and difdained, as falling very fliort of
" that wifdom, light, life, and power, which I had
*' been longing for, and fearching after. I had like-
*' wife, fome pretty diftance of time after this, op-
*' portunity of meeting with fome of them ; and di-
" vers of them were by the Lord moved (I know it
'^ to be fo fince) to come to me. As I remeiriber,
" at the very firft they reached to the life of God in
" me, which life anfv.'ered their voice, and caufed
" a great love in me to fpring to them; but ftill in
*' my reafonings with them, and difputes alone (in
<* my mind) concerning them, I was very far off
*' from owning them, as fo knowing the Lord, or fo
*' appearing in his life and power as my condition
<' needed, and as my foul waited for. Yea, the more
" I converfed with them, the more I feemed in my
<' underllanding and reafon to get over them, ar\d to
*' trample them under my feet, as a poor, weak, iilly,
" contemptible generation, who had fome fmauerings
*' of truth in them, and fome honeft defires towards
" God i but very far off from the clear and full un-
" derilanding of his way and will. And this was the
" effeft almofb of every difcourfe with them ; they ftill
" reached my heart, and 1 felt them in the fecrets of
" my foul J which caufed the love in me always to
" continue, yea, fometimes to increafe towards them:
" but daily my underilanding got more and more over
" them.
[ xlv ]
" them, and therein I daily more and more defpifed
" them.
" After a long time I was invited to hear one of
" them (as I had been often, they in tender love pi-
" tying me, and feeling my want of that which tliey
** poflerred)j and there was an anfwer in my heart,
*^ and I went with fear and trembling, with defires to
" the Moft High, who was over all, and knew all,
*' that I might not receive any thing for truth which
*' was not of him, nor withftand any thing v/hich was
*' of him ; but might bow before the appearance of
" the Lord my God, and none other. And indeed,
" when I came, I felt the prefence and power of the
*' Moft High among them, and words of truth from
" the Spirit of truth reaching to my heart and con-
" faience, opening my ftate as in the prefence of the
" Lord. Yea, I did not only feel words and demon-
'* ftrations from without, but 1 felt the dead quick-
*' ened, the feed railed ; infomuch that my heart (in
" the certainty of light, and clearnefs of true fenfe)
** faid, This is he, this is he^ there is no other : this is
" he whom I have waited for and fought after from my
*^ childhood; who was always near me^ and had often be-
" gotten life in my heart ; but I knew him not difiin^ly,
" nor how to receive him^ or dwell with him. And then
" in this fenfe (in the melting and breakings of my
** fpirit) was I given up to the Lord, to become his,
" both in waiting for the further revealing of his feed
" in me, and to fcrve him in the life and power of
" his feed.
" Now what I met with after this, in my travails,
" in my waitings, in my fpiritual exercifes, is not to
" be uttered : only in general I may fay this, I met
" with the very ftrength of hell. The cruel oppref-
'* for roared upon me, and made me feel the bitter-
*' nefs of his captivity, while he had any power: yea,
*' the Lord was far from my help, and from the voice
" of my roaring. I alio met with deep fubtlcties
" and devices to entangle me in that wifdom, which
^' feemeth able to make wife in the things of God,
" but
[ xlvi ]
** but indeed is foolirnnefs, and a fnare to the foul,
" bringing it back into captivity, where the enemy's
*' gins prevail. And what I met with outwardly
'* from my own dear father, from my kindred, from
" my fervants, from the people and powers of the
" world, for no other caufe but fearing my God,
*' worfiiipping him as he hath required of me, and
'' bowing to his feed, which is his Son, who is to be
" worfhipped by men and angels for evermore, the
'^ Lord my God knoweth, before whom my heart and
" ways are j who preferved me in love to them, in
" the midft of all I fuffered from them, and doth
*' flill fo prefervemej bleffed be his pure and holy
" name.
** But fome may defire to know what I have at
<' lafl met with ? I anfwer, / have met with the Seed.
" Underftand that word, and thou wilt be fatisfied,
" and inquire no further. I have met with my God;
" I have met with my Saviour j and he hath not been
*f prefcnt with me without his falvation ; but I have
*' felt the healings drop upon my foul from under his
" wings. I have met with the true knowledge, the
'^ knowledge of life, the living knowledge, the know-
'^ ledge which is life; and this hath had the true vir-
'* tue in it, which my foul hath rejoiced in, in the
*' prefence of the Lord. I have met with the Seed's
*^ Father, and in the Seed I have felt him my Father.
'^ There 1 have read his nature, his love, his compaf-
" fions, his tendernefs, which have melted, over-
" come, and changed my heart before him. I have
" met with the Seed's faith, which hath done and
<' doth that which the faith of man can never do. I
" have met with the true birth, with the birth which
« is heir of the kingdom, and inherits the kingdom.
" I have met with the true fpirit of prayer and fup-
" plication, wherein the Lord is prevailed with, and
*« which draws from him whatever the condition
" needs ; the foul always looking up to him in the
" will, and in the time and way, which is acceptable
" with him. What Ihall I fay ? I have met with the
<« true
iC
[ xlvii ]
true peace, the true righteoufnefs, the true holinefs,
the true reft of the foul, the everlafting habitation,
which the redeemed dwell in : and I know all thefe
to be true, in him that is true, and am capable of
no doubt, difpute, or reafoning in my mind about
them J it abiding there, where it hath received the
full aflurance and fatisfaftion. And alfo I know
very well and diftindlly in fpirit where the doubts
and difputes are, and where the certainty and full
aflurance is, and in the tender mercy of the Lord
am preferved out of the one, and in the other.
" Now, the Lord knows, thefe things I do not ut-
ter in aboaftingway; but would rather be fpeak-
** ing of my nothingnefs, my emptinefs, my weak-
*' nefs, my manifold infirmities, which I feel more
" than ever. The Lord hath broken the man's part
" in me, and I am a worm, and no man before him.
" I have no ftrength to do any good or fervice for
'* him : nay, I cannot watch over or preferve myfelf.
" I feel daily that 1 keep not alive my own foul; but
" am weaker before men, yea, weaker in my fpirit, as
" in myfelf, than ever I have been. But I cannot
" but utter to the praife of my God, and I feel his
" arm ftretched out for me ; and my weaknefs, which
" I feci in myfelf, is not my lofs, but advantage be-
" fore him. And thefe things I write, as having no
" end at all therein of my own, but felt it this morn-
*' ing required of me; and fo in fubmiflion and fub-
" jedion to my God have 1 given up to do it, leaving
" the fuccefs and fervice of it with him."
Aylefbury, 15th of 1. P.
3d month, 1067.
Neither to him was it given only to believe, but to
fufFer alfo for the fake of Chrift. His imprifonments
were many, and fome of them long, which with great
conftancy and quietnefs of mind he underwent. But
becaufe fo general an account may perhaps not anfwer
the
[ xlviii ]
the expe6lat*ion and defirc of the reader, I will here
fubjoin a more particular; but that as contracted and
fliort as may be.
His firfl imprifonment was at Aylefbury gaol, in
the years i66i and 1662, being committed thither for
woifliipping God in his own houfe; where, for feven-
tcen weeks, great part of it in winter, he was kept in
a cold and very incommodious room, without a chim-
ney J from which hard ufage his tender body con-
trafled fo great and violent a diflemper, that for fe-
veral weeks after he was not able to turn himfelf in
his bed.
His fecond imprifonment was in the year 1664, be-
ing taken out of a meeting, where he with others
were peaceably waiting upon the Lord, and fent to
Aylefbury gaol, where he again remained a prifoner
between feventeen and eighteen weeks.
His third imprilbnment was in the year 1665, be-
ing taken up, with many others, in the open flreet of
Amerfham, as they were carrying and accompanying
the body of a deceafed friend to the grave. From
hence he was fent again to Aylefbury gaol 5 but this
commitment being in order to banidiment, was but
for a month, or thereabouts.
His fourth imprifonment was in the fame year 1665,
about a month after his releafement from the former.
Hitherto his commitment had been by the civil magif-
trates ; but now, that he might experience the feve-
rity of each, he fell into the military hands. A rude
foldier, without any other warrant than what he car-
ried in his fcabbard, came to his houfe, and told him
he came to fetch him before Sir Philip Palmer, one
of the deputy-lieutenants of the county. He meekly
went, and was by him fent with a guard of foldiers to
Aylefbury gaol, with a kind of mittimus, importing,
** That the gaoler fliould receive and keep him in fafe
*^ cuftody during the pleafure of the earl of Bridge-
** water-," who had it feems conceived fo great, as
well as unjuft, difpleafure againft this innocent man,
that although (it being the ficknefs year) the plague
was
[ xlix ]
was fufpecfled to be in the gaol, he woiild not be pre-
vailed with, by the earneft innportunity of a perfon
both of confiderable quality and power in the county,
only to permit Ifaac Penington to be rennoved to ano-
ther houfe in the town, and there kept prifoner until
the gaol were clear. Afterwards a prifoner dying in
the gaol of the plague, the gaoler's wife, her hufband
being abfent, gave leave to Ifaac Penington to re-
move to another houfe, where he was fhut up about
fix weeks : after which, by the procurement of the
earl of Ancram, a releafe was fent from the faid Phi-
lip Palmer, by which he was difcharged, after he had
fuffered imprifonment three quarters of a year, with
apparent hazard of his life, and that for no offence.
By that time he had been at home about three
weeks, a party of foldiers from the faid Philip Palmer
(by order of the earl of Bridgewater, as was re-
ported) came to his houfe, and feizing him in bed,
carried him away to Aylefbury gaol again ; where,
without any caufe Ihewed, or crime objefted, he was
kept in prifon a year and a half, in rooms fo cold,
damp, and unhealthy, that it went very near to coft
him his life, and procured him fo great a diftemper,
that he lay weak of it feveral months. At length a
relation of his wife's, by an habeas corpus, removed
him to the King's-Bench bar, where (with the wonder
of the court that a man fhould be fo long imprifoned
for nothing) he was at lalt releafed in the year 1668.
This was his fifth imprifonment.
His fixth imprifonment was in the year 1670, in
Reading gaol, whither he went to vifit his friends that
were fufferers there for the teflimony of Jefus. Of
which notice being given to one called Sir William
Armorer, a juflice of the peace for that county, and
living in the town, he was forthwith fent for before
him, and committed to the gaol, thereby becoming a
fellow-fufferer with them, whom, being fufferers for
the truth, he came to vifit. Here he continued a pri-
foner a year and three quarters, and was brought un-
VoL. I. D dcr
[ 1 ]
der the fentence of premunire i but at length the Lord
delivered him.
Thus through many tribulations did he enter into
the kingdom J having been exercifed, tried, proved,
and approved by the Lord. Long was he in the war-
fare, and, like a good foldier, manfully endured the
fight of afflictions: but having fought the good fight,
and kept the faith, he hath now, in the Lord's good
time, finifhed his courfe, and is gone to poflefs the
crown of righteoufnefs laid up for him, and all thofe
that love the bright appearance of the Lord. A faith-
ful labourer he was in the Lord's vineyard for many
years ; but now hath he ceafed from his labour, and
his works follow him. He walked with God, and is
tranflated. To the Lord he lived, and in the Lord
he died, and by the Spirit of the Lord he is pro-
nounced bleffed : blefled for ever be the name of the
Lord therefore.
THE
E H ]
THE
TESTIMONY
O F
ALEXANDER PARKER,
CONCERNING
ISAAC PENINGTON.
HAVING feen and read many lively and frefh
teftimonies of feveral of my dear brethren con-
cerning our dear friend and brother Ifaac Penington,
deceafed, I did fatisfy myfelf with what was written by
them, being fo full and large, and anfwering my own
fenfe, that I did acquiefce in my own mind, not in-
tending to appear in publick in this matter j but of late
hearing a tellimony read, written by his dear wife
M. P. it did fo revive the remembrance of him^ that
the fenfe of that love and endeared affedlion which I
always had for him, did fo work in my m.ind, that I
could not be clear without calling in my mite amongft
the reft of my brethren, having known him from the
early days of his convincement of the bleffed truth,
in which he lived, and for which he fujfferedi and in the
faith of which holy truth he finijhed his courfe.
The firft time that I faw his face was at Reading in
Berklhire, in the twelfth month, called February, 1656.
And though at that time he had not the outward garb
and appearance of a Quaker, yec did mine eye be-
D 2 hold
hold an inward beauty and hidden virtue of life in
him ; and my foul, in the bowels of the love of truth,
did cleave unto him, and I could have embraced him
in the fenfe thereof; but in thofe early days we were
cautious, and laid hands on no man fuddenly. He
did not haftily join in fociety with us ; but for fome
time did reafon about many things. Though he owned
the principal dodlrines of truth, yet the inftruments
that declared it, and their way and manner, feemed very
contemptible to him, until he heard that faithful
fervant of God G. F. (who was the firft man that pro-
claimed the gofpel of life and falvation amongft us)
at a meeting at J. Crook's, in Bedfordfliire, at the
time called Whitluntide, in the year 1658 j at which
meeting the myfteiy of iniquity was fo opened, and
the myflery of the gofpel of peace fo plainly manifeft-
eft, that he was fully fatisfied ; and from that time
gave up himfelf to the obedience of truth, and took
up the crofs, and became a difciple and follower of
Chrift, and fuffered with us for the name and
teftimony of Jefus, and bore the fcoffings and re*
proaciies of the ungodly with much patience, account^
ing it his riches: and in much love did he embrace
and receive the meflengers and fervants of God into
his houfe ; where were many precious meetings, and
many were convinced and brought into the way of life,
amongflr whom he was a good pattern, and an help
unto them ; and when they were bowed down in fpirit,
and affliclcd in mind, he was a great help and comfort
to fuch, having himfelf travelled through various and
deep exercifes, through which the Lord brought him,
and eftabliflied him in righteoufnefs. He was a man
of a quick apfrehenfion:, and when any /park did arije
from the coals of God's altar^ it quickly kindled in him a
flame of holy zeal for God and his truth ; even in the
morning of his convincement 3 and in the frefh openings of
life^ many living tejlimonies were given forth by him, as
in his writings may be feen, to which the reader is re-
ferred. His heart and foul were much drawn forth unto
the
[ liii ]
the profefTors of religion of all perfaafions, having a
deep travail for them-, and in much bowels of love and
tender compafTion did he intreat and befeech them to
turn to the true light, that they might be converted and
healed. But few did regard his deep travails for them;
which doubtlefs will rife in judgment as a teftimony
againft them. And I do defire that thofe, whofe day is
not over, may yet confider, and take a farther view
into his writings, and fearch into their own hearts, that
with the light of Jefus that jfhines there they may come
to a true fight of their fins, and fo to a godly forrow,
which may work repentance unto life, that they may
find mercy with the Lord, and peace to their immor-
tal fouls. In all his writings and declarations he ftill
pointed to life, and preffed all to mind the power of
godlinefs, and not to fettle or content themfelves in
the letter or form of religion. This, oh ! this, was
the very bent of his mind ; and the ftrong cries of his
foul to the Lord were, that all might partake of life,
even the life of Jefus, in their mortal bodies, which
he, through the death of the crofs, was made a par-
taker of; in which life he lived unto God, and was
a lively pattern of humility, walking uprightly, in
innocency, before the Lord. He was a man weaned
froni the world, and redeemed from the earth, his mind
being daily exercifed in things of a higher nature,
drinking daily of the water that Chrifl gives j which
was in " him a well of living water, fpringing up
" unto eternal life," which filled his vefl^el, and caufed
his cup to overflow. Much might be faid of this
good man ; but words are too fhort to fignify the
depth of his inward life. I write not thefe things to
exalt or fet up man j but to exalt and magnify the
grace of God, which was in him ; which was fufficient
for him ; by the power of which he was carried on
through all his troubles and exercifes j by which he
was taught to deny ungodlinefs, and all the evil lulls
of this wicked world; and to live righteoufly, foberly,
and godly in this world ; in which godly life he per-
D 3 fifted
t liv ]
filled to the end of his days. And as he lived in the
Lord, even fo he died, laying down his head in peace,
and liveth with the Lord in the enjoyment of his love,
where there is " joy and felicity for ever," and his
memory is fweet and blefled. O ! that every one that
profefleth the holy truth " may fo run, that they may
«' obtain the crown of eternal life." This is the travail
and the earneft delire of him who feeketh the good of
all mankind.
liOndon, the 5th of the
2d Month, 1681,
Alexander Parker.
THE
[ Iv ]
THE
TE STIMONY
O F
MARY PENINGTON,
Concerning her dear Husband
ISAAC PENINGTON.
WHILST I keep filent touching thee, O thou
bleffed of the Lord and his people, my heart
burnech within me. I mull make mention of thee,
for thou was a moll pleafant plant of renown, planted
by the right-hand of the Lord, and *• thou tookeft
** deep rooting downwards, and fprangeft upward."
The dew of heaven fell on thee, and made thee fruitful,
and thy fruit v;as of a fragrant fmell, and mofl delight-
ful. O ! where lliall I begin to recount the Lord's re-
markable dealings with thee ! He fet his love on thee,
O thou one of the Lord's peculiar choice, to place his
name on 1 Waft not thou fan6tified in the womb ? Thy
very babifh days declared of what ftock and lineage
thou wert. Thou defiredft after " the fincere milk of
" the word, as a new-born babe," even in the bud of
thy age. O ! who can declare how thou halt travelled
towards the holy land in thy very infancy as to days !
O ! who can tell what thy foul hath felt in thy travel 1
O ! thou was gotten to be in the mount with the Lord,
and his fpiritual Mofes, when the princes and elders
faw but his back-parts, and feared and quaked £o hear
D 4 the
[ Ivi ]
the terrible thunderings in Mount Sinai. The breaft
of confolation was held out to thee early, and thou
fuckedft thy fill, till the velTel could no longer contain;
for thou couldft not in that fulnefs " fee God and live"
in this tabernacle : fo that thou befoughtell the Lord
to abate this exceeding excellent glory, and give thee
fuch a meafure as was food convenient. O ! the hea-
venly, bright, living openings that were given to thee
many years paft ! His light fhone round about thee,
and the book of the creatures was opened to thee j
and his myfteries (made known to holy men of old,
who fpoke them forth as they were infpired by the
Holy Ghoft) were made known to thee to difccrn.
Such a ftate as I have never known any in, in that day,
have I heard thee declare of. O! this did itpleafe the
Lord to wichdraw and fhut up as in one day, and fo
leave thee defolate, and mourning many a day j weary
of the night and of the dayj poor and naked j fad,
diflrelTed, and bowed down. Thou refui'edft to be
comforted, becaufe it was a time of night, and not
day •, and becaufe he that was gone was not come.
His time of manifefting his love was not at hand; but
he was as a ftranger, or one gone into a far country, not
ready to return; and thou wouldft accept of no beloved
in his abfence, but tellifiedfi: that he thy foul longed
for was not in this or that obfervation, nay, nor opening;
but thy beloved, when he came, would fit as a refiner's
fire, and would come with *' his fan in his hand, and
" thoroughly purge his floor.*' No likenefs, or ap-
pearance, or taking found of words, or vifions, or re-
velations, wouldft thou take up with, inftead of him
that was life indeed. O ! the many years thou putteft*
thy mouth in the duft, and wentefl foftly, and bowed
down, and hadfb anguifh of foul, weeping and groaning,
panting and fighing ! O ! who can tell the one half
of the bitternefs of thy foul ! Becaufe fubftance was in
thine eye, all fhadows did fly away from before thee.
Thou couldfl not feed on that which was not bread
from heaven. In this ftate I married thee, and my love
W4S drawn to thee ; becaufe I found thou faweft the
deceit
[ Ivii ]
deceit of all notions, and layefl as one that " refufed
" to be comforted" by any thing that had the appear-
ance of religion, till he came to his temple, who is
** truth, and no lye." For all thofe Ihews of religion
were very manifeft to thee, fo that thou wert lick and
weary of them all. And in this my heart cleft to thee,
and a defire was in me to be ferviceable to thee in this
defolate condition : for thou waft alone and miferable
in this world, and I gave up much to be a companion
to thee in this thy fufFering. O ! my fenfe, my fenfe
of thee and thy ftate in that day, even makes me as
one dumb -, for the greatncfs of it is beyond my capa-
city to utter.
This little teftimony to thy hidden life, my dear and
precious one, in a day and time when none of the
Lord's gathered people knew thy face, nor were in
any meaibre acquainted with thy many forrows, and
deep wounds and diftreiTes, have I ilamniered out,
that it might not be forgotten that thou waft in the
land of the living, and thy frelli fprings were in
God, and light was on thy Gofhen, when thick dark-
nefs covered the people. But now that the day
is broken forth, and thou wert fo eminently gathered
into it, and a faithful publiftier of it, 1 leave this
bright ftate of thine to be declared of by the " fons of
" the morning," who have been witnefles of the
rifing of that " bright ftar of righteoufnefs in thee,'*
and its guiding thee to the Saviour, even Jefus, " the
" firft and the laft :" they, I fay, who are " ftrong,
" and have overcome the evil-one," and are fathers
in Ifrael, have declared of thy life in God, and have
publiftied it in many teftimonies here to the glorious
laving truth, that thou wert partaker of, livedft and
pafledft hence in, as in a fiery chariot, into the eternal
habitation with the holy faints, prophets, and apoftles
of Jefus.
Ah me! he is gone ! he that none exceeded in kind-
nefs, in tendernefs, in love inexpreftible^o the relation
as a wife. Next to the love of God in Chrift Jefus to
my foul, was his love precious and delightful to me.
My
[ iviii ]
My bofom-one ! that was as my guide and counfellor !
my pleafant companion ! my tender fympathizing friend 1
as near to the fenie of my pain, forrow, grief, and
trouble as it was poiTible. Yet this great help and
benefit is gone ; and I, a poor worm, a very little one
to himy compajfed about with many infirmitieSj through
mercy let him go without an unadvifed word of
difcontent, or inordinate grief. Nay, further; fuch
was the great kindnefs the Lord (hewed to me in
that hour, that my fpirit afcended with him in that
very moment that his fpirit left his body; and I faw
him fafe in his own manfion, and rejoiced with him,
and was at that inftant gladder of it, than ever I was
of enjoying him in the body. And from this fighr my
fpirit returned again to perform my duty to his out-
ward tabernacle, to the aniwer of a good confcience.
This teftimony to dear Ifaac Penington is from
the greatelt lofer of all that had a fhare in
his life.
This was written at my houfe,
at Woodfide the 27th of the j^^^^ PeNINGTON.
2a month, 1680, between 12
and I at night, whilft I waa
watching with my fick child.
THE
[ Kx ]
THE
TESTIMONY
OF
JOHN PENINGTON,
To his dear and deceafed Father
ISAAC PENINGTON.
GI V E me leave alfo, in a few words, to exprefs
my fenfe of him (feeing I have been no fmall
fharer in the lofs) a man that had known the depths
of Satan, and had a flock to lofe before he could em-
brace truth in the fimplicity of it; yet came forth in
clearnefs : which is the more remarkable, inafmuch as
few came near him in thofe bright openings and pierc-
ing wifdom he was endued with in thofe days; whereby
he ftruck at all falfe foundations and profeflions, and
faw their fliortnefs, and the very thing they wanted.
So that when I have taken a view of his former writings,
and beheld the glory he once had, and withal reflected
on his prefent condition, on his poverty, on his nothing-
nefs, on his felf-denial, and felf-abafement j how lit-
tle he efteemed all his former knowledge, and fights of
the heavenly things themfelves, in comparifon of the
more excellent knowledge he afterwards received, and
how he could be a fool for Chrift's fake ; the thing hath
afFefted me, and not a little, many times. O ! he was
not one that could deck himfelf, or defired to appear
before
[ !x ]
before men, or his very brethren -, but ever chofe to be
more to the Lord than to men. And when any have
been deeply reached through his tender, yet fearching
lively teftimony, O how great was his care that none
might look out too much at the inftrument, or receive
truth in the afFedlionate part ! He was alfo a meek man,
and very loving ; courteous to all ; ready to ferve his
^yery enemies and perfecutors; of whom fome, from an
ill opinion of him, were gained to love and efteem
him. And where-ever he entered into a friendfhip
with any, he was conftant. Whatever provocations he
might afterwards receive from any of them, he could
not let go his hold ; but ever retained a good-will to-
wards them, and an earneft defire for their welfare.
I have alfo obferved, where he hath been engaged on
truth's behalf to rebuke any Iharply, who were de-
clining from their firft love, and deviating from thetr-uth
as it is in Jefus, it hath been with fo much reluftancy
and averfenefs to his natural temper, as I never difcerned
the like in any ; and herein I am not alone. So that it
may be fafely faid he never ufed the rod, but with
bowels to reclaim j and in the love was drawn to fmite
"what the pureft love could not fufFer to go unrebuked..
What he was in the church of God for exemplarinefs,
for deep travail, for found judgment, and heavenly
miniftry, I know not a few are very fenfible of. And
have not I feen his cup many times overflow, and
him fo filled, that the veflel was fcarce able to contain !
O it was delightful to me to be with him (as it was
often my lot) in his fervice on truth's account ! And
my cry is, that I may walk worthy of fo dear a parent,
fo unwearied and earneij a traveller for mine and others
eternal well-being, and fo faithful and eminent a
labourer in God's vineyard; who is now gone to his
reft in a good day, having firft feen the effefts of the
travail of his foul, and been fatisfied in the Lord.
3ut he hath left us, his children, behind, for whom
he hath often prayed, and befought the Lord with
tearsj ibaf we might walk in his Jieps, and our father's
God
[ 1"' ]
God might be our God, and that the blejjings of our father s
life might defcend upon us. And we are ftill, after much
weaknefs, upon the flage of this world j which, that
it may be fo rightly improved, that we may walk
worthy of the manifold vifitations we have had from
him in particular, and many faithful labourers in gene-
ral, is the inceflant defire of
(Him that hopes, with thankfulnefs to the
Lord, to reverence his memory, as well as
that he honours him in the relation of a dear
and tender father)
The 9th of the 3d month, 1681. John Penington.
POSTSCRIPT.
IT pleafed the Lord to remove him from us, and
take him to himfelf, on the eighth day of the
eighth month, 1679, between three and four in the
morning, at one of my dear mother's farms in Kent,
in the parilh of Goodneftone, called Goodneftone-
Court. They had been among their tenants in that
country, and in their return home fpent fome time
here; but the day appointed for my dear father to
return, he was vifited with this ficknefs, whereof he
died, having lain juft a week. His body was conveyed
thence (fome of his relations and London friends
accompanying it) to London, thence into Bucking-
hamfliire to his own houfe, and fo to the burying-place
of friends belonging to Chalfont-meeting (called
Jordan's) j where he was honourably buried, being
accompanied by fome hundreds of friends and neigh-
bours.
THE
1
THE
Way of LIFE and DEATH
Made manifest, and fet before Men;
WHEREBY
The many Paths of Death are impleaded, and the
one Path of Life propounded, and pleaded for;
I N
SOME POSITIONS
' CONCERNING
The Apostasy from the Christian Spirit
and Life;
WITH
Some PRINCIPLES guiding out of it;
AS ALSO
An ANSWER to fome OBJECTIONS,
whereby the Simplicity in fome may be
entangled ;
HELD FORTH
In tenderGood-will, both to Papists and Protestants,
who have generally erred from the Faith for thefe
many Generations, fince the Days of the Apoftles ;
and with that which they have erred from are they
comprehended.
By ISAAC PENINGTON the Younger.
[ Ixv ]
THE
R E F A C E.
MY foul hath dill in remembrance the grievous
fhakings and rendings that have been in this
nation, which entered deep into the bowels of it, and
made every heart ake, and every heart aftonifhed.
This nation was fettled in religion and outward peace,
in fuch a way as was pleafing to moll j but yti there
was a fpirit within, which had been long groaning
under oppreflion, whofe fighs and cries entered into the
ears of the Lord: and he rofe up in his fury and
jealoufy, and rent the heavens, and rent the earth j fo
breaking the very foundation of both, that men gene-
rally were amazed, and wondered what would become
of all. The former religion was almoft buried in con-
fufion, and in danger of being utterly loft. A long-
fpun corroding war were we entangled in, which ad-
miniftered no hopes' nor likelihood of peace. The hand
of the Lord reached through all thcfe dominions;
magiftracy, miniftry, the common people, the people
of God (both fuch as were accounted fo, and fuch as
were indeed fo), the line of confufion was ftretched
over them all ; they did all reel and totter like a
drunken man, as if they had been fo to fall as to rife
up no more.
But behold how fuddenly and unexpectedly was
there a fettlement of all again 1 the nation fettled in
peace, magiftracy fettled, miniftry fettled, the com-
mon people fettled, and thofe which were Ihaken in
their fpirits got into their fevcral way^ in religion, and
Vol. I. E fettled
f[ Ixvi ]
fettled again. Thus there was a general healing of all
again, fave only of a few, whofe fpirits God had fo
reached, that their wound was incurable ; and unlefs
fonaewhat of God had been brought forth, which the
world cannot know (nay, the religious fpirit of man,
which is below, can no more reach it than the com-
mon fpirit of the world), they had remained miferable,
loft, fcattered, and confounded to this day. But the
Lord hath in infinite mercy vifited them in the feafon
of diftrefs : and there hath a little foolifh thing broke
forth (at which all the wife and religious in the fpirit
of this world cannot but ftumble), which hath ad-
miniftered relief, and difcovered the foundation whereon
they alfo can fettle. So that now there is as it v/ere an
univerfal fettlement, as every creature is gathered into
the center which is proper and fuitablc to its fpirit to
bottom on.
Now this I have to fay to all; Let every one look to
his foundation; for the Lord can arife again; yea, and
will arife again, and Ihake once morej; and then the
heavens and the earth, which have not'a true founda-
tion, cannot but fall. If the earth be not founded upon
and fettled in righteoufnefs, its prefent eftablifhment
will not ftand. If the heavens be not founded upon
and fettled in truth, they will melt and pafs away be-
fore the fire of the Lord. There is a fpirit that mourn-
eth deeply to the Lord, groaning inwardly, and his
ears are open to it, and he will plead the caufe of his
feed •, and the churches and religions wherein the
feed of the ferpent can live and fiourilh, fhall wither
and come to an end. Doft is already become the fer-
pent's food. The fpirit of man, in all his exercifes of
religion, knoweth not the bread of life j but the dead
feed upon the dead, and the dead fpirit of man loves to
have it fo. But this cannot continue ; for the Lord
hath been at work all this while -, and when he brings
forth the people which he hath been forming, and their
religion, the religion of man will appear what it is ;
and Ihame and forrow will be the portion of all who
have
[ Ixvii ]
have pleafed themfelves therein, and trifled away the
day of their vifitation.
Be wife now, therefore, O ye wife-ones! be religious,
O ye religious ones ! open the eye and ear that have
beenfhutj fliut the eye and ear that have been open:
ftumble no longer, left ye fall and rife no more. I
know ye cannot fee ; for the wrong eye is open, and
the Lord hath defigned to hide his wifdom from that
eye. If it be pofllble for you, become poor in fpirit;
left ye at laft prove to be the rich, whom the Lord will
fend empty away. Sell all apace, that ye may have
wherewith to buy the pearl. Ye have not known the
appearance of theLordj but in your wifdom have dif-
dained it, and he hath difdained to make ufe of you
in this great work ; but it hath been pleafant to him to
lay ftumbling-blocks before you, that ye might fall and
be broken. The children, the fools, the blind can fee
the way, and enter into life ; but ye that are men, that
are wife, that have both your eyes, that can judge in
religion, and determine what is orthodox, and what
erroneous, ye cannot.
O hear, that your fouls may live ! Ye knownbt how
Ihort your time is } the day of your vifitation pafieth
away fafter than you are aware. The cry hath long
gone forth, Behold, the bridegroom cometh, and his
fpoufe hath been preparing for his bed. Ye muft off
with your old garments, and have the new on. Ye
muft have the true oil in your lamps, or the door of
the kingdom will be ftiut upon you, and there will be
no entrance for you. In plain terms, you muft part
with all your religion which you have gathered in your
own wifdom, which hath grown up in the apoftafy,
and which only can make a fair ftiew in the dark] but
cannot endure the fearching light of the day of the
Lord J and ye muft purchafe the true religion, the true
righteoufnefs, the true innocency and purity of Chrift.
The old muft be done away, truly done away, and the
new come in the place. So that flefti and felf may be
quite deftroyed, and nothing but Chrift found in you,
E 2 and
[ Ixviii ]
and you found no where but in Chrifl:, if yotj enter
into his kingdom ; for no unclean thing can enttr.
Therefore put away pride, and paffion, and enniity,
and flefhly reafonings, and fcek out that which is pure,
and enter into it, and take up the crofs againft all that
is contrary, that fo you may be wrought into it, and
found in it. And turn from all imao-inings and con-
ceivings about the meanings of fcriptures in the un-
certain and erring mind, and come to that which is in-
fallible. And know the filencing of the flefhly part,
that the fpiritual part may grow in the wifdom, that fo
ye may learn in the fpirit, and know the word of God,
and be able to fpeak it.
My bowels are towards you, and in bowels hath this
been written, not to anger or Ihame you, but to provoke
you to jealoufy againft that dark and evil fpirit, which
leads you to deftruftion under the guife and appearance
of a light and good fpirit. Nor is it to glory over you;
for my foul lieth down in fhame and forrow before the
Lord, and the reproach of mine own apoftafy, and
feeking relief from the world (turning from the Lord,
who had wounded me, to earthly vanities for eafc) will
not eafily be recovered.
The Lord hath been kind to me in breaking of me
in my religion, and in vifiting me with fweet and pre-
cious light from his own fpirit ; but I knew it not.
I felt, and could not but acknowledge a power upon
me, and might have known what it was by its purify-
ing of my heart, and begetting me into the image of
God-, but I confined it to appear in a way of demon-
ftration to my reafon and earthly wifdom, and for want
of fatisfaflion therein, denied and rebelled againft it;
and fo, after all my former mifery, loft my entrance,
and fowed feeds of new mifery and forrow to my own
foul, which fince 1 have reaped. So that I have no caufe
to boaft over others j but to lie low in abafement of
fpirit. And what I write is not in any dominion and
authority of mine own ; but to bring others into that
dominion and authority which it is good for me, and
for
[ Ixix ]
for every one elfe, to be rubje(5l to. The Lord ftrip
Ui. of our own iinderftanding, and of that righteouf-
nefs which is but ours (though we have called it his),
that fo we may be gathered into, and receive his under-
ftanding, and be clothed with his righteoufnefs, and
feel his red and peace ! And happy is he that lofeth all
to gain thisi but he that keepeth what he hath too long,
fh ill in the end lofe all, and yet not gain this neither;
therefore be no longer wife in the eye of flefh, or ac-
cording to what man calleth wifdom j but be truly
wife.
Ej THE
,
r « 1
THE
Way of LIFE and DEATH
Made manifest, and fet before Men.
SOME POSITIONS
Concerning the Apoftafy from the Chriflian
Spirit and Life.
POSITION I.
That there hath been a great apoftafy from the Spirit of
Chrift, and from the true light and life of Chriftianity :
which apoftafy began in the apoftles days, and ripened
apace afterwards.
THAT the apoftles and Chriftians in their days
had the true fpirit, the true light, the true
life, I think will not be denied. " We know
" that we are of God, and that the Son of God is come,
" and hath given us an underftanding that we may
*' know him that is true; and we are in him that is true,
" in his Son Jefus Chrift. This is the true God, and
" eternal life." i John v. 19, 20. They were truly
born of God, and knew the Son of God come, receiv-
ing from him a true underftanding, and the true light
and knowledge in that underftanding ; and both the
underftanding and knowledge was rooted and feated in
him that is true, where their fituation and abiding was
" (we are in him that is true)," where they met with
the true Spirit, the true God, the true life, even life
E 4 eternal.
2 The way of life and DEATH
eternal. That they had the true Spirit from God " (be-
" caufe ye are fons, God hath ient forth the Spirit of
'' his Son into your hearts." Gal. iv. 6.) that they had
the true light from God " (God who commanded the
*' light to Ihine out of darknefs, hath fhined into our
" hearts," &c. 2 Cor. iv, 6.) that they had the true
life from and in the fpirit " (if we live in the fpirit,
" let us alfo walk, in the fpirit." Gal. v. 25.) is gene«
rally acknowledged concerning them.
Now of an apoftafy from this, beginning even in their
days, and to be completed not long after, the fcriptures
alfo make mention. The apoftle Paul fpeaks exprefly
of the thing, that there mutl come " a falling away,"
and a revealing of " the man of fin, the fon of perdi-
" ticm." 2 Their, ii. 3. Chrift, the man of falvation,
had fhewed and declared the path of life; had difcover-
ed the true church, which was " the pillar and ground
'* of truth," againfl which the gates of hell could not
prevail ; had fent the true fpirit, which could " lead
" into all truth," and preferve in the truth: but there
mud fpring up a " man of fin, a fon of perdition,"
who in a myftery (hould work againfl: this, and caufe a
falling from this to another thing. And this the apoftle
did not only give a touch of here in writing, but he
had likewife told them of thefe things by word of
mouth, to which he refers them, verfe 5. This were
enough to an eye opened j but for farther illuftration
to the thick underftanding of man, which is furround-
ed with fogs and mifts of darknefs, fome more eviden-
ces of fcriptures may be given.
Chrift foretold of falfe prophets. Mat. vii. i^. " Be-
*' ware of falfe prophets, which come to you in Iheep's
** clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."
The Lord fent true prophets under the law, and gave
them true vifions to declare: Chrift fent true apoftles
and minifters under the gofpel, and gave them the
truth which they fhould preach and propagate : but
then there were falfe prophets, falfe apoftles, and
minifters to come after, who were never fent by Chrift,
nor never received the truth from his fpirit. Now
thefe
MADE MAN'IFIST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. J
thcfe do not come to gather into the life and truth of
Chiiil:, but to fcatter from it; and fo either to begin
or uphold an apoftafy. And, faith Chrifl:, beware of
them i for they come very fubtillyj they come in
fheep's clothing : they get the garment of the fheep
upon their backs, even that very garment which the
fheep did wear ; but they have not the nature of the
fheep, but the nature of the wolf, which is ravenous
after the life of the fneep. Mark where there is the
garment without, but not the nature within j where
there is the form of godlinefs, but not the power i
where there are fcripture words and pradlices, bur not
the fpirit of life, from which they came; there is the
falfe prophet! there is the wolf! there is the apellate!
there is the feducer from Chrift.
Again, Chrifi: foreteh of many falfe prophets, Mat.
xxiv. II. "And many falfe prophets fhall rife, and
" fliall deceive many." Andverfe24, " For there lliall
" arife falfe chrifts, and falfe prophets, and fhall fliew
" great figns and wonders ; infomuch that, if it were
" pofTible, they fhall deceive the very eleft.*'
And as Chrift himfelf, fo his apoftles alfo after him,
by the fame fpirit, foretel of the fame thing.
The apoftle Paul fpeaks of feducing fpirits in the
latter times, and of doctrines of devils, which fhould
prevail to caufe a departure in fome from the faith.
I Tim. iv. 2. And if in thofe days the power of fedu-
cers was fo great, as to draw from the truth, which was
then fo maniffll and living, how eafily would it be to
keep from the truth afterward, when it had been long
lofi, and out of remembrance, and thereby deceit got
into the place and name of it.
The apoille Peter alfo foretold of " falfe teachers,"
who fliould " privily bring in damnable herefies, even
" denying the Lord that bought them :" and that they
Ihould fo prevail, that their " pernicious ways" fhould
be followed by many, and " the way of truth evil
" fpoken of." 2 Pet. ii. i, 2.
Again, Paul, in his 2d Epiftle to Timothy, fpeaks of
the lall days, that fhe times therein fhould be ♦•perilous;"
chap.
4 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
chap. iii. Chrift had faid, *' The love of many (hould
" wax cold, and iniquity abound." Mat. xxiv. ii.
And Paul fliews how the times would prove very peril-
ous, by the abounding of iniquity. '« In the laft days
** perilous times fhall come ; for men fliall be lovers
** of their own felves, covetous, boafters, proud,
** blafphemers, difobedient to parents, unthankful,
*' unholy, without natural affedlion, truce-breakers,
" falfe accufers, incontinent, fierce, defpifers of thofe
** that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers
** of pleafure more than lovers of God." 2 Tim. iii.
I, 2, 3, 4. Behold what kind of fruit fprung up from
the falfe doftrine of the falfe teachers in the apoftafy
from the truth. And yet all this under a form of
godlinefs; " Having a form of godlinefs, but denying
«* the power thereof." verfe 5. Chrift fent the power of
godlinefs into the world, to fubdue the root from
whence all this fprings; to kill the evil nature inwardly :
but in the apoftafy the evil nature is not killed, but
the power denied which fhould kill it, and the form
kept up to cover the evil nature with : the inwardly
ravening nature, which devours and deftroys the ftir-
rings and Ihootings-forth of the juft-one in the heart,
that gets the fheep's clothing, the form of godlinefs,
to cover itfelf with. Look any-where among the
apoftates from the apoftles fpirit and dodrine, and Cet;
Is felf-love killed ? is covetoufnefs killed ? is boafting
and pride killed ? is tlie love of pleafures killed ? are
perfecutors and opprefTors killed ? and is your honour
and glory laid in the duft ? Nayj they are but covered
with the form ; their life is ftill in them ; the power
wherewith they fhould be killed was at firft denied, and
now is loft: and not known. Where there is the life,
there is the power j and where there is the power, the
evil nature is killed. But where the evil nature is not
killed, there is only a form of godlinefs, a covering,
a painted fepulchre, but rottennefs within.
Now thofe laft days and laft times were not far off,
but began then : for the apoftle exhorts Timothy to
turn away from fuch, verfe 5. " From fuch turn away:"
intimating.
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. J
intimating, that even then there were fuch to be turned
away from. And he faith, verfe 8. that they did then
refift the truth, like Jannes and Jambres ; who with a
likenefs of what Mofes wrought, but without life, did
flrive to refift the life and power that was in Mofes.
And this is the work of all deceivers, to get their own
fpirit into the likenefs, and then to make ufe of the
likenefs to oppofe and fupprefs the true life and power.
So that they were come even then, when the apoftle
wrote this epiftle to Timothy.
And Jude faith, that " ungodly men, turning the
** grace of God into lafcivioufnefs, and denying the
** only Lord God, and our Lord Jefus Chrift," were
** crept in" already. Verfe 4. of his epiftle.
And the apoftle John fpeaks very exprefly, i John ii.
18, 19. *' Little children, it is the laft timej and as yc
** have heard that antichrift fhall come, even now there
" are many antichrifts, whereby we know that it is
'* the laft time. They went out from us," &c.
Chrift, inftru6ling his difciples concerning the laft
times, tells them there ftiall arife falfe Chrifts, with
great power of deceit. Mat. xxiv. 24. Now, faith John
here, there are come " many antichrifts, whereby we
" know it is the laft time." Mark : There were many
antichrifts to begin and lay the foundation of the
apoftafy, and make way for the great antichrift, who
was to be their fucceftbr in the apoftafy, and not the
fucceflbr of the apoftles in the truth : and thefe did
not abide in the doctrines of the apoftles, who preach-
ed " the everlafting gofpel," nor in the fpirit and
principle which they were in i but "went out" from
them, from their fpirit (from the anointing to which
they kept, and by which they were kept) into another
fpirit, and preached another gofpel ; a gofpel which was
not the power of God to kill the earthly, but confifted
in fuch a dead literal knowledge of things, as the
earthly might be fed and kept alive by. And as the
great antichrift was to come, fo thefe antichrifts who
were to make way for him were already come, and
were already laying the foundation of, and beginning
the
6 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
the apottafy. So that the fpirit of antichrill (that
very fpirit wherein antichriit lucceeded, and in which
he grew up, and perfected the apoltafy) was then in the
world, as this apoltle faith yet more manifeftlv, i John
iv. 3. " This IS that fpirit of antichrift, whereof ye
" have heard that it Ihould come, and even now
*' already is it in the world."
Nor was it idle, but ir was at work, working itfelf
into the form of godlinefs, that it might eat out the
power, drive out the true Ipirit, and make a prey of
the life. " The myftery of iniquity" faith the apoltle
Paul, '' doth already work," 2 flielf. ii. 7. This fpirit
did work in a myilery of iniquity to eat out the
myftery of godlinefs, and to {ez up this myftery of
iniquity in the world, inftead of the myftery of god-
linefs. And it did prevail to wind itfelf in the form,
and get pofTelTion of the form, and alfo to trample
upon and keep under the life. It gained the " outward
*' court" (for when that fpirit had corrupted, the Lord
did not regard it, but gave it up to it) and it trod down
the *' holy city." Rev. xi. 2. And this myftery of ini-
quity did not begin to work many ages after the
apoftles; but even then, in their days, already : " the
*' myftery of iniquity doth already work."
And look now into the eftate of the churches then,
according to what the fcripture records of them, and
the fymptoms of its working will plainly appear. The
church of Ephefus (among whom fome of the grievous
wolves had entered. Acts xx. 29.) had left their firit
love. Rev. ii. 4. The churches of Galatia were be-
witched from the gofpel. Gal. iii. i. The church at
Colofs was entangled, and made fubje6t to the rudi-
ments of the world, and ordinances (which perifliwitii
the ufing) after the commandments and doctrines of
men, Coi. ii. 20, 22. Mark : when once one comes
to be fubjed to the commandments and doctrines of
men, to periftiing ordinances, and worldly rudiments,
which men teach and command, the true ftate is loft,
and the apoftafy is entered into. Here the wrong
teacher is teaching, and he teacheth the wrong thing,
the
J
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 7
the wrong doctrines, the wrong commandnnenrs ; and
the wronpi; ear is hearing, which hears the wrong voice,
and knoweth not the true ; and fo the more it heareth
and praftifeth, and the hotter its zeal groweth, the
deeper it Hill runs into the apoftafy. The church at
Corinth alfo was haunted with falfe apoftles, 2 Cor. xi.
12, 13. inibrnuch that the apoftle was afraid left that
church Ihould be corrupted by them, verfe 3. I'he
church in Pergamus had them that held the doctrine of
Balaam, Rev. ii, 14. The church in Thyatira TufFered
the woman Jezebel, which called herlelf a prophetefs,
to feduce and bring forth children in the apoftafv.
Rev. ii. 20, 23. The church in Sardis had a name to
live; but was dead, Rev. iii. i. having defiled her
garments, verfe 4. The church in Laodicea looked
upon herfelf as rich, and increafed with goods, and as
having need of nothing ; but was wretched, miferable,
poor, blind (fo then the eye was put out) and naked,
wanting the gold, wanting the raiment, wanting the
cye-falve, Rev. iii. 17, 18. And laflly, all the Gen-
tiles were warned by Paul, in his cpiftle to the church
at Rome (whereby that church might look upon her-
felf as more particularly concerned therein) to look to
their ftanding; left they, t'^illing from the faith, from
the truth, from the life, into the apoftafy (as the Jews
had done) might alfo feel the feverity of God, as the
Jews had, chap. xi. 20, 21, 22.
Thus it is evident that the apoftafy had got footing,
and began to fpread in the apoftles days : and the
apoftle John, in the fpirit, beholding the future ftate of
things, fees it over-fpread and over-run all: " all
" nations drunk with the cup of fornication," Rev.
xviii. 3. The way of truth had been evil fpoken of
long before, 2 Pet. ii. 2. and the rock of ages, which
alone can eftablifti in the truth, had been forfaken, and
all became as 2^ Jea\ and up gets the heajl (which
could not rife while the power of truth ftood) and the
woman upon the beaft, with the cup of deceit and er-
ror fiom the life, in her handj and this fhe gives all
the nations to drink, and they drink, and aie drunk
with
8 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
with it. So that all nations have been intoxicated
with the doctrines and praftices of the apoflafy. They
have took that for truth which the whore told them was
truth, and they have obferved thofe things as the com-
mands of God, which the whore told them were the
commands of God. And by this means they have
never come to be married to Chrift, to be in union
with him, to receive the law of life from his fpirit,
and to know the liberty from the bondage of corruption ;
but have been in the bed of fornication with the whore,
and have pleafed, glutted, and facisfied the whorifh
principle in themfelves with this fornication. And
thus corruption did over-fpread all the earth ; for tak-
ing in a corrupt thing inftead of the truth, it cannot
purify the heart, but corrupt it more. A corrupt pro-
feflion, corrupt do6lrines may paint, and make a man
to himfelf feem changed; but the corrupt ilill lodges
within, which a fpiritual eye can eafily difcern, though
he that is in the corruption cannot. ThePharifees feemed
glorious to themfelves; but Chriil faw through them.
And every fort of people now, in their feveral ftrains
and forms of apoflafy, feem. glorious to themfelves ;
but the fpirit of Chrifl: fees through them all, to that
which lies underneath (in whom it reigns), and there
it finds corruption increafed and ftrengthened in its
nature by the form, though outwardly painted with it.
Doth not fornication defile and corrupt ? fo doth the
fornication of the whorifh fpirit: " the earth was cor-
" rupted with it," Rev. xix. 2. So that this hath been
the univerfal ftate of Chrifbendom fince the apoflafy ;
the error, the deceit, the fornication of the whore,
hath corrupted them, and with-held their eyes from the
fight of that life and truth which hath power in it to
purify them. People, multitudes, nations, tongues,
have been all waters : weak, unliable, without any
foundation in religion, but fit to be fwayed and tolTed
up and down with every wind or breath of the whore,
of whofe cup they had all drank, and by whofe fpirit
they were all guided j for " the whore fat upon them,"
Rev. xvii. 15. The whore, which had whored from
God,
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 9
God, and fo was not the true church, *' fat upon peo-
" pie, multitudes, nations, and tongues." She fat
upon them j flie had them under her; flie ruled and
guided them by her cup of fornication, and with her
fpirit of fornication, as a man would guide the bead
whereupon he rides. So that all that the nations do
from henceforth in religion, is under the whore, ac-
cording to her guidance, by virtue of the wine that
they have drank out of her cup.
And though God referved to himfelf a remnant to
worfhip him, and give fome teftimony to his truth all
this time-, yet the " bead" (which was managed by the
" whore) had power over them : power to make war
with them J power to overcome them, Rev. xiii. 7.
The " beaft" had power over all " kindreds, tongues,
" and nations" every- where; to overcome the "faints,"
and fupprefs the truth they at any time were moved to
give teftimony to ; and to fet up the worfhip of the
" beaft," and make all the earth fall down before that.
Rev. xiii. 7, 8. And the fecond " beaft" had, and exer-
cifed, all the power of the firft '' beaft," and fet up his
image, and gave it life, and caufed men generally to
worftiip it. Rev. xiii. 12. " And he caufed all, both
" fmall and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to
" receive his mark" fome way or other, either in their
right-hand, or in their forehead, verfe 16. And fuch
as would not receive his mark, norworfliip him, he had
power to perfecute and kill ; and he did kill them, verfc
15. And the whore drank their blood, chap. xvii. 6.
And God required it at her hand, chap. xix. 2. Though
fhe made the hand of the beaft execute it, and would
feem to wafti her own hands of it.
So that now, fince the days of the apoftles, even all
this time of theapoftafy, frnce the man-child hath been
caught up to God, and was not to be found in the earth
(which makes it feem fuch a ttrange thing for people
to fay Chrift is in them) and the woman hath been in
the wildernefs, and not in the habitable part of the
world, Rev. xii. 5, 6. if all this time any one will look
for the true religion, for the true church, for the true
knowledge
so The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
knowledge and worjfhlp of God, he muft not look on
any nation, or any people, or among the tongues,
which are cried up in nations and people for the
original, and as the chief interpreters of the original ;
for they are all drunk with the whore's cup : they are
under the power, dominion, authority, and fervice of
the *' whore,*' who rides upon the " beafl," to whom
** power was given over all kindreds, tongues, and na-
" tions." But look among the nations who were per-
fecuted, whole blood was drank, whom the powers of
the nations made war againft; there alone the teflimony
of Jefus is to be found. Rev. xii. 17. There alone are
the witneffes againft the prefent idolatry and corruption,
and to fome truths or other of Chrift, which God en-
lightened them with, and whereto he ftirred them up to
give their teilimony, though with the lofs of their
cftates, liberties, or lives.
Now, by what hath been exprcfled, is it not manifeft
to every eye that hath room but to let in the letter of
the fcripture, in fimplicity and plainnefs, that there
hath been a great apoftafy from the true knowledge of
Chrift, and an univerfal corruption and power of death
fprung up, inftead of the power of his life and grace i
** The grace of God, which bringeth falvation," hath
difappearedj and " the abomination of defolation"
hath took up its place, and filled it with deadly venom
againft the truth, and againft the life : fo that enmity
againft God, under a pretence of love and zeal to him,
hath reigned generally in the hearts of men, from the
times of the apoftles to this prefent day. And as the
light breaks forth, and their eyes come to be opened,
they will fee that they have been and are haters of God,
and of his life and fpiritj but lovers of the world, and
of fuch a religion as fuits the worldly fpirit.
P O S I-
MADE MANIFIST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. II
POSITION II.
That in this great apoftafy the true ftate of Chrifllanity
hath been loft.
THIS mud needs be ; for if there was an apoftafy
from the thing, there could not be a retaining of
the thing about which the apoftafy was. If they apof-
tatifed from the fpirit, from the light, from the life i
then they were gone from it -, they loft it.
Now it may be inftanced in every particular how the
ftate of Chriftianity was loft : but that would be too
vaft and tedious : it may fufEce therefore to inftance in
fome confiderable ones, which may lead into the dif-
covery of the reft,
I. The true rule of Chriftianity, or the rule of a
Chriftian, which is to dired:, guide, and order
him in his whole courfe, was apoftatifed from,
and loft.
What is a Chriftian's rule, whereby he is to fteer and
order his courfe ?
A Chriftian is to be a follower of Chrift, and con-
fequently muft have the fame rule to walk by as
Chrift had. A Chriftian proceeds from Chrift, hath
the fame life in him, and needs the fame rule. Chrift
had the fulnefs of life, and of his fulnefs we all receive
a meafure of the fame life. " We are members of his
" body, of his flefti, and of his bones, Ephef v. 30.
Yea, we came out of the fame fpring of life from
whence he came : " For both he that fanftifieth, and
" they who are fanftified, are all of one ; for which
" caufe he is not aftiamed to call them brethren,"
Heb. ii. n. Now what was his rule? Was it not the
fulnefs of life which he received ? And what is their rule ?
Is it not the meafure of life which they receive ? Was
not Chrift's rule the law of the fpirit ; the law which
the fpirit wrote in his heart? And is not their rule the
Vol. I, F law
12 The way of LIFE and DEATH
law of the fpirlt ; the law which the fpirit writes in
their heart? How was Chrift made a king and a prieft?
Was it by the law of a carnal commandment ? or by
the power of an endlefs life ? And how are they made
kings and priefts to God ? Rev. i. 6. Is it by the law of
a carnal commandment ? or is it by the power of the
fame endlefs life ? *' Lo, I come to do thy will, O
*f God," faith Chrift, " when he cometh into the
<« world," Heb. x. 5, 7. But by what rule? By what
law ? " Thy law is within my heart," Pfalm xl. 8.
And the fame fpirit who wrote it there, is alfo to write
the new covenant, with all the laws of it, in the heart
of every Chriftian, from the leaft to the greateft, Heb.
viii. 9, 10. Yea, the fame fpirit that dwelt in Chrift's
heart, is to dwell in their hearts, according to the
promifc of the covenant, Ezek. xxxvi. 27. This was
Paul's rule, after which he walked, " The law of the
" fpirit of life in Chrift Jefus," Rom. viii. i, 2. This
made him " free from the law of fin and death."
Where is the law of fin written ? Where is the law of
death written ? Is it not written in the heart ? And muft
not the law of righteoufnefs and life be written there
alfo, if it be able to deal with"fin and death ? The
fpirit forms the heart anew, forms Chrift in the heart,
begets a new creature there, which cannot fin *' (He
" that is born of God fins not)." And this is the rule
of righteoufnefs, the new creature, or the fpirit of life
in the new creature, Gal. vi. 15, 16. " In Chrift Jefus,
** neither circumcifion availeth any thing, nor uncir-
" cumcifion ; but a new creature. And as many as
" walk according to this rule, peace be on them."
Mark : There is the rule ; the new creature, which is
begotten in every one that is born of God. " If any
*' man be in Chrift, he is a new creature j" and this,
new creature is to be his rule. And as any man walks
according to this rule, according to the new creature,
according to the law of light and life that the fpirit
continually breathes into the new creature, he hath
peace ; but as he tranfgreffes that, and walks not after
the fpirit, but after the flefti> he walks out of the light,
out
Made Manifest, and set before MEN. 13
out of the life, out of the peace, into the fea, into the
death, into the trouble, into the condemnation. Here
then is the law of the converted man, the new creature;
and the law of the new creature is the fpirit of life which
begat him, which lives, and breathes, and gives forth
his law continually in him. Here is a Chrillian ; here
is his rule : he that hath not the new creature formed
in him, is no Chriftian ; and he that hath the new
creature, hath the rule in himfelf. " Ye have an
*^ unftion from the Holy One, and ye know all
*' things," I John ii. 20. How came they to know
all things ? Doth not John fay, it was by the " unftion ?"
The anointing was in them, a fountain or well-fpring of
light and life, ilfuing forth continually fuch rivers and
ftreams of life within, as they needed no other teacher
in the truth and way of life, verfe 27. The " Com-
" forter" did refreih their hearts lufficiently, and led
them into all truth. Search the apoftles epiftles, and
ye fhall find them teftifyingof the Lord's fending his
fpirit into the hearts of Chriflians; and exhortations
to them not to grieve or quench the fpirit, but to follow
as they were led. They- were to *' live in the fpirit,"
and to " walk in the fpirit," Gal. v. 25. And the
fpirit was to walk, and live, and bring forth his own
life and power in them, 2 Cor. vi. 16. And what can
be the proper and full rule of God's fons and daughters,
but the light of the fpirit of life, which they receive
from their Father ? Thus God did advance the Hate of
a believer above the ilate of the Jews under the law :
for they had the law, though written with the finger of
God, yet but in tables of ftone ; but thefe have the
law, written by the finger of God in the table of their
hearts. Theirs was a law without, at a diftance from
them, and the prieft's lips were to preferve the know-
ledge of it, and to inftrudl them in it ; but here is a
law within, nigh at hand, the immediate light of the
fpirit of life fliining fo immediately in the heart, that
they need no man to teach them; but have the fpirit
of prophecy in themfelves, and quick living teachings
from him continually, and are made fuch kings and
F a priefts
14 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
priefts toGodj as the (late of the law did but reprefent.
The gofpel is the fubftance of all the fhadows contained
in the law. A Chriftian is he that connes into this fub-
ftance, and lives in this fubftance, and in whom this
fubftance lives; and his rule is the fubftance itfelf, in
which he lives, and which lives in him. Chrift is the
fubftance, who lives in the Chriftian, and he in Chrift:
Chrift lives in him by his fpirit, and he in Chrift by
the fame fpirit : there he lives, and hath fellowftiip
■with the Father and the Son, in the light wherein they
live, and not by any outward rule, i John i. 6, 7.
But what is the rule now in the apoftafy ?
Among the Papifts, the rule is the fcripture, inter-
preted by the church (as they call themfelves) with a
mixture of their own precepts and traditions.
Amongft the Proteftants, the rule is the fcriptures,
according as they can underftand them by their own
ftudy, or according as they can receive the underftand-
ing of them from fuch men as they account orthodox.
And hence arife continual differences, and heats, and
fe6ls ; one following this interpretation, another that.
And this is a grievous apoftafy, and the root, fpring,
and foundation of all the reft 3 for he that milTeth in his
beginning, he that begins his religion without the true
rule, how can he proceed aright in any thing after-
wards ?
Objefb. But are not the fcriptures the word of God ?
And is not the word of God to be a Chriftian's rule ?
If every one ftiould be left to his own fpirit, what con-
fufion and uncertainty would this produce!
Anfw. The fcriptures are not that living word, which
is appointed by God to be the rule of a Chriftian ;
but they contain words fpoken by the fpirit of God,
teftifying of that word, and pointing to that word,
which is to be the rule. " Search the fcriptures, for
*' in them you think to have eternal life, and they arc
" they which teftify of me ; and ye will not come to
'' me that ye may have life," John v. 39, 40. The
fcriptures are to be fearched for the teftimony which
they give of Chrift j and when that teftimony is re-
ceived.
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. I5
celved, Chrift is to be come to, and life received
from him. But the Pharifees formerly, and Chriftians
fince (I mean Chriftians in name) fearch the fcriptures;
but do not come to Chrift for the life, but ftick in the
letter of the fcriptures, and oppofe the life with the
letter, keeping themfelves from the life by their wifdom
and knowledge in the letter. Thus they put the
fcriptures into the place of Chrift, and fo honour nei-
ther Chrift nor the fcriptures. It had been no honour
to John to have been taken for the light-, his honour
was to point to it: nor is it any honour to the fcriptures
to be called the word of God; but their honour is to
difcover and teftify of the word. Now hear what the
fcriptures call the word ; " In the beginning was the
" word, and the word was v/ith God, and the word
*' was God," John i. i. " And the word was made
" flefh," verfe 14. This was the name of Chrift,
when he came into the world in the flefti, to fow his
life in the world. And when he comes again into the
world, out of a far country, to fight with the beaft:
and falfe prophet, and to cleanfe the earth of the
whore's fornication and idols, wherewith Ihe had cor-
rupted it, he Ihall have the fame name again -, " his
" name is called the Word of God,'- Rev, xix. 13.
So Peter calleth that the Word of God, which liveth
and abideth for ever, i Pet. i. 23. And this word that
liveth and abideth for ever, was the word that they
preached, verfe 25. And they that believed did not
cry up the words that the apoftles fpake for the word;
but received the thing they fpake of, " the ingrafted
" word;" which being received with a meek, quiet,
and fubmiflive fpirit, " is able to fave the foul,*' Jam. i.
21. This is " the word of faith" that is " nigh, in
" the heart and in the mouth," Rom. x. 8, This is
the word that ftands at the door of the heart, and
fpeaks to be let in " (Behold, I ftand at the door and
" knock) ;" and when it is let in, it fpeaks in the heart
what is to be heard and done. It is nigh ; it is in the
heart, and in the mouth ; to what end ? ^^ That thou
** mighteft hear it, and do it." The living woisd,
F 3 which
i6 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
which is " quick and powerful, and fharper than any
** two-edged fword," divides in the mouth, and divides
in the heart, the vile from the precious; yea, it reacheth
to the very inmoft of the heart, and cuts between the
roots, Heb. iv. ii. and this thou art to hear and do.
Thou art to part with all vile words, the vile converfa-
tion, the vile courfe and worfhip of the world out-
wardly, and the vile thoughts and courfe of fin in-
wardly, as faft as the word difcovers them to thee,
and to exercife thyfelf in that which is folly and mad-
nefs to the eye of the world, and a grievous crofs to
thine own worldly nature; yea, when the word reaches
to the very nature, life, and fpirit within, from whence
all that comes, that ftrong wife root of the fiefhly life
in the heart muft not be fpared, nor that fooliih weak
thing (to man's wife eye) which is brought inftead
thereof, be rejefted : which, when it is received, is but
like a little feed, even the lead of feeds; and when it
grows up, it is a long while but like a child ; and yet
keeping in that childifhnefs, out of the wifdom, it
enters into that kingdom which the grcateft wifdom of
man (in all his zealous ways and forms of religion)
falls fhort, and is fhut out of. This is the word of life;
this is the true living rule, and way to eternal life;
and this is the obedience; this is the hearing and doing
of the word. *' He that hath an ear, let him hear.
*« Examine yourfelves whether ye be in the faith:
<^ prove your ownfelves. Know ye not your ownfelves,
*' how that Jefus Chrift is in you, except ye be repro-
« bates?" a Cor. xiii. 5. Are ye in the faith? Then
Chrift is in you. Is not Chrift in you? Then ye are in
the reprobate ftate, out of the faith. Is Chrift in you,
and Ihall he not hold the reins, and rule ? Shall the
living word be in the heart, and not the rule of the
heart ? Shall he fpeak in the heart, and man or woman
in whom he fpeaks run to the words of fcripture form-
erly fpoken, to know whether thefe be his words or no?
Nay, nay, his ftieep know his voice better than fo.
Did the apoftle John, who had feen, and tafted, and
handled, and preached the word of life, fend Chriftians
to
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. IJ
to his epiftles, or any other part of fcripture, to be
their rule ? Nay, he direfted them to the anointing as
afufficient teacher, i John ii. 17. " He that believeth
" on me, as the fcripture hath faid, out of his belly
** (hall flow rivers of living water," John vii. 38.
He that hath the fountain of life in him, ifiuing out
rivers of living water continually, hath he need to go
forth to fetch in water ? " The kingdom of heaven is
" within you," faith Chrift ; and he bids " feek the
" kingdom." Light the candle, fweep thine own
houfe, feek diligently for the kingdom ; there it is,
if thou canft find it. Now he that hath found the
kingdom within, fhall he look without, into words
fpoken concerning the kingdom, to find the laws of
the kingdom ? Are not the laws of the kingdom to be
found within the kingdom ? Shall the kingdom be in
the heart, and the laws of the kingdom written without
in a book ? Is not the gofpel the miniftration of the
fpirit ? And fhall he who hath received the fpirit run
back to the letter to be his guide ? Shall the living
fpirit, that, gave forth the fcriptures, be prefent, and
not have preeminence above his own words ? What is
the proper intent of the letter ? Is it not to teftify of
the fpirit, and to end in the fpirit ? The law, the pro-
phets, John, led to Chrift in the flefh ; and he was to
be the increafing light, when they fhould decreafe,
Chrifl's words in the flefh, the apoflles words after-
wards, and all words fince, are but to lead to Chrifl in
the fpirit, to the eternal living fubftance ; and when
words of Chrift, of the apoftles, or any other words
fpoken from the fame fpirit in thele days, have brought
to the fpirit, to the feeling and fettling of the foul in the
living foundation, and to the building and perfeding
of the man of God therein, they have attained their
end and glory. But to cry up thefe, not underftanding
their voice, but keeping at a diftance from the thing
that they invite to -, the words hereby are put out of
their place, out of their proper ufe and fervice, and
fo attain neither their end nor their glory. And though
man put that upon them which feems to be a greater
F 4 glory.
i8 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
glory, namely, to make them his rule and guide ; yet,
it being not a true glory, it is no glory, but a dilho-
nour both to them and to the fpirit, who gave them to
another end.
Now for the other part of the objection, that if
men fhould be left to their own fpirits, and fhould
follow the guidance of their own fpirits, it would pro-
duce confufion and uncertainty: 1 do acknowledge itj
it would do fo. But here is no leaving of a man to
his own fpirit fpoken of or intended, but the directing
and guiding of a man to the Word and Spirit of life;
to know and hear the voice of Chrifl, which gathers
and tranfiates man out of his own fpirit into his Spirit:
and here is no confufion or uncertainty i but order,
certainty, and (lability.
The light of God's Spirit is a certain and infallible
rule, and the eye that fees that, is a certain eyej
whereas man's underftanding of the fcriptures is un-
certain and fallible J he having not the true ear, re-
ceiveth fuch a literal uncertain knowledge of things
into his uncertain underllanding, as deceives his foul.
And here man, in the midft of his wifdom and know-
ledge of the fcriptures, is loft in his own erring and
uncertain mind, and his foul deceived, for want of a
true root and foundation of certainty in himfclf. But
he that is come to the true Shepherd, and knows his
voice, he cannot be deceived. Yea, he can read the
fcriptures fafely, and tafte the true fweetnefs of the
words that came from the life j but man who is out
of the life, feeds on the hulks, and can receive no
more. He hath gathered a dead, dry, literal, hufky
knowledge out of the fcripture, and that he can relifhi
but Ihould the life of the words and things there
fpoken of be opened to him, he could not receive
them, he himfelf being out of that wherein they were
written, and wherein alone they can be underftood.
But poor man having loft the life, what fliould he do ?
He can do no other but cry up the letter, and make
as good fhift with it as he can -, though his foul the
mean while is ftarved, and lies in famine and death,
for
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN, I9
for want of the bread of life, and a wrong thing is
fed.
The Scribes and Pharifees made a great nolfe about
the law and ordinances of Mofes, exclaiming againft
Chrift and his difciples as breakers and profaners of
them J yet they themfelves did not truly honour the
law and ordinances of Mofes, but their own dodrines,
commandments, and traditions. So thofe now who
make a great noife about the fcriptures, and about
the inftitutions of the apoftles, do not honour the
fcriptures, or the inftitutions of the apoftles ; but their
own meanings, their own conceivings, their own in-
ventions and imaginations thereupon. They run to
the fcriptures with that underftanding which is out of
the truth, and which never fhall be lee into the truth;
and fo being not able to reach and comprehend the
truth as it is, they ftudy, they invent, they imagine a
meanings they form a likenefs, a fimilitude of the
truth as near as they can, and this muft go for the
truth i and this they honour and bow before as the will
of God J which being not the will of God, but a like-
nefs of their own inventing and forming, they worfhip
not God, they honour not the fcriptures, but they
honour and worfhip the works of their own brain.
And every fcripture which man hath thus formed a
meaning out of, and hath not read in the true and
living light of God's eternal Spirit, he hath made an
image by, he hath made an idol of j and the refpeft
and honour he gives this meaning, is not a refped: and
honour given to God, but to his own image, to his
own idol. Oh how many are your idols, ye Chrif-
tians of England, as ye think yourfelves to be ! How
many are your idols, ye gathered churches ! How full
of images and idols are ye, ye fpiritual notionifts,
who have run from one thing to another with the fame
mind and fpirit wherewith ye began at firft ! But the
founder of images has never been difcovered and def-
troyed in you, and fo he is ftill at work among you
all i and great will your forrow and diftrefs be, when
the
20 The way of LIFE and DEATH
the Lord's quick eye fearcheth him out, and revealeth
his juft wrath againft him.
In my heart and foul I honour the fcriptures, and
long to read them throughout with the pure eye, and
in the pure light of the living Spirit of God ; but the
Lord preferve me from reading one line of them in
my own will, or interpreting any part of them ac-
cording to my own underftanding, but only as I am
guided, led, and enlightened by him, in the will and
underftanding which comes from him. And here all
fcripture, every writing of God's Spirit, which is
from the breath of his life, is profitable to build up
and perfeft the man of God; but the inftru6lions, the
reproofs, the obfervations, the rules, the grounds of
hope and comfort, or whatever elfe which man ga-
thers out of the fcriptures, (he himfelf being out of
the life) have not the true profit, nor build up the
true thing; but both the gatherings and the gatherer
are for deftrudion. And the Lord will eafe the fcrip-
ture of the burden of man's formings and inven-
tion from it, and recover its honour again, by the
living prefence and power of that Spirit that wrote
it; and then it Ihall be no longer abufed and wrefted
by man's earthly and unlearned mind, but in the hands
of the Spirit come to its true ufe and fervice to the
feed, and to the world.
2. The true worfliip was loft.
The true worfliip of God in the gofpel is in the
Spirit. *^ The hour conneth, and now is, when the
*f true worftiippers fliall worfliip the Father in Spirit
*' and in truth ; for the Father feeketh fuch to wor-
« fliip him." John iv. 23. The true worfliip is in
the Spirit, and in the truth, and the true worftiippers
worfliip there ; and fuch worfliippers the Father feeks,
and fuch worfhip he accepts ; but all other worfliip is
falfe worfliip, and all other worfliippers are falfe wor-
fliippers i fuch worfliippers as God feeks not, nor can
accept
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN, 2%
accept their worfhip. Did God refufe Cain's facrifice
formerly ? and can he accept any facrifice or worfhip
now that is offered in that nature ? Why he that
worfhips out of the Spirit, he worfhips in that nature;
but he that worfhips aright, muft have his nature
changed, and muft worfhip in that thing wherein he is
changed, in that faith, in that life, in that nature, in
that Spirit whereby and whereto he is changed. For
without being in this, and keeping in this, it is im-
pofTible to pleafe God in any thing. He that is the
true worfhipper is a believer, and in his worfhip he
muft keep to his rule, the law of faith, the law of the
Spirit of Life in him, the law which he receives by
faith frefh from the Spirit of Life continually. He
muft hear and obferve the voice of the living word
in all his worfhip, and worfhip in the prefence, and
power, and guidance of that, as that moves, and as
that carries on, or God is not worfliipped in the Spirit.
I fhall inflance only in prayer. '* Praying always
" with all prayer and fupplication in the Spirit."
Eph. vi. 1 8. Mark, all prayer and fupplication mufl
be in the Spirits yea, it muft be always in the Spirit,
which fpeaks in the heart to God, and makes the in-
tercefTion, or it is no prayer. If a man fpeak ever (o
much from his own fpirit, with ever fo much earn-
eftnefs and affection, yet it is no prayer, no true
prayer, but only fo far as the Spirit moves to it, and.
fo far as the Spirit leads anti guides in it. If a man
begin without the Spirit, or go on without the Spi-
rit, this is out of the worfhip ; this is in his own
will, and fo will-worfnip ; and according to his own
underftanding, and fo fiefhly worfhip ; both which are
to be crucified, and not to be followed in any thing
under the gofpel. " We are the circumcifion, which
" worfhip God in the Spirit, (here are the true wor-
" fhippers, " the circumcifion ;" and here is the true
" worfhip, " in the Spirit j" and they have no bounds
" and limits in the flefli, wherein their flrength and
" confidence is broke) and have no confidence in the
** flefh." If a man addrefs himfelf to any worfhip of
God
22 The way of LIFE and DEATH
God without his Spirit, hath he not confidence in the
fiefh ? If he begin without the moving of his Spirit,
doth he not begin in the flefli ? If he go on, without
the Spirit's carrying on, doth he not proceed in the
ftrength and confidence of the flelh ? But the worfliip
of the Spirit is in its will, and in its time, and is car-
ried on by its light and power, and keeps down the
underftanding and affeflionate part of man, wherein
all the world worfhip, and offer up the unaccepted fa-
crifices, even the lame and the blind^ which God's foul
hates.
Now this worfhip, as it is out of man's will and
time, and in that which continueth, fo it is continual.
There is a continual praying unco God. There is a
continual blelTing and praifing of his name, in eating,
or drinking, or whatever elfe is done. There is a
continual bowing to the majefty of the Lord in every
thought, in every word, in every a6lion, though it be
in worldly things and occafionsj yet the Spirit of the
Lord is leen there, and the tongue confefTeth him
there, and the knee boweth to him there. This is the
true worfhip, and this is the reft or fabbath wherein
the true worfhippers worfhip. When the creation of
God is finifhedi when the child is formed in the light,
and the life breathed into him j then God brings him
forth into his holy land, where he keeps his fabbath.
They that are in the faith, which is the fubftance of
the things hoped for under the law, are come from all
the fhadows and types of the law, and from all the
heathenifh obfervations of days and times in the fpiric
of this world, where the fpirit of man is hard at work,
into the true fabbath, into the true reft, where they
have no more to work, but God works all in them in
his own time, according to his own pleafure. " We,
*f which have believed, do enter into reft," Heb.
iv. 3. ** And he that is entered into his reft, hath
" ceafed from his works, as God from his," verfe 10.
He that hath the leaft tafte of faith, knows a meafure
of reft, finding the life working in him, and his foul
daily led farther and farther into life by the working
of
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 2^
of the life, and the heavy yoke of his own labouring
after life taken off from his fhoulders. Now here is
the truth, here is the life, here is the fabbath, here is
the worfhip of the foul, that is led into the truth, and
preferved in the truth.
But what is the worfhip now in the apoftafy ?
Among the Papifts, a very grofs worfhip ; a worfhip
more carnal than ever the worfhip of the law was : for
that, though in its nature it was outward and carnal,
yet it was taught and prefcribed by the wifdom of
God, and was profitable in its place, and to its end ;
but this was invented by the corrupt wil'dom, and fet
up in the corrupt will of man, and hath no true profit,
but keeps from the life, from the power, from the
Spirit, in fleflily obfervations, which feed and pleafe
the fiefhly nature. Look upon their days confecrated
to faints, and their canonical hours of prayer, and
their praying in an unknown tongue, with their fafl-
ings, feaflings, faying of Ave-MarySy Pater-nojiers^
CreedSi &c. are not all thefe from the life, out of the
Spirit, and after the invention, and in the will of the
flefh ? Ah ! their (link is greater than the flefh-pots of
Egypt.
And the worlhip of the Proteflants comes too near
them : for their worfhip is alfo from a flefhly princi-
ple, and in their own times and wills, and according
to their own underftanding and apprehenlion of things,
and not from the rifing up and guidance of the infal-
lible life of the Spirit in them j for that they will
quench. They alfo obferve days and times, and pe-
rilhing ordinances, and are not come out of the flefh
into that Spirit where the worfliip is to be known, and
to be in.
3. The faith, the true faith, which was lofl.
The faith which gives vi(5bory over the world j the
faith which feeds the life of the juft, and flays the un-
juftj the faith which is pure, the myftery whereof is
held
S4 The way of LIFE and DEATH
held in a pure confcience; the faith which gives' en-
trance into the reft of God j the faith which is the
fubftance of things hoped for, and the evidence of
things not feen -, this hath been loft, and is not yet to
be found among thofe who go for Chriftians.
For thofe who challenge the name of Chriftians,
and fay they believe in Chrift, and have faith in him,
cannot with their faith overcome the world ; but are
daily overcome by the world. Where is there a Chrif-
tian, but he is either in the honours, or in the faftiions,
or in the cuftoms, or in the worfliips of the world, if
not in them all ? He is (o far from overcoming thefe,
that he is overcome with them j yea, fo overcome, fo
drunk therewith, that he hath even loft his fenfes, and
thinks he may be a Chriftian, and in a good ftate while
he is there.
And the life of thejuft is not fed by their faith,
but the unjuft nature is fed, and the righteous witnefs,
which is raifed up and lives by the true faith, is kept
down, and cannot bring forth his life in them, becaufe
of their unbelief; for that is the proper name of their
faith; for being not true faith, it is not faith, but un-
belief.
And the faith of Chriftians (fo called) is not a
myftery, (they know not the myftery of it, which is
held in a pure confcience) but confifts in believing an
hiftorical relation, and in a fleflily improving of that,
and can be held in an impure confcience.
Neither are they entered into reft by their faith :
for they know not the fabbath in the Lord, but are
ftill in a Ihadowy fabbath.
Neither is it the fubftance of what they hope for ;
but the fubftance of what they hope for is ftrange to
them. They are not come to " Mount Sion, to the
" city of the living God, the heavenly Jerufalem, to
*' the innumerable company of angels, to the general af-
" fembly and church of the firft-born, to God the Judge,
« Chrift the Mediator, and the blood of fprinkling,"
and fo to unity and certainty in the life j but are in
opinions.
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN, 2^
opinions, ways, and pracSlices fuitable to the earthly
fpiriti which may eafily be fhaken, and muft be fhaken
down to the ground, if ever they know the building
of God, and the true faith.
4. The love, the true love, was loft.
The innocent love, which thinks no ill, nor wifhes
no ill, much lefs can do any ill to any ; but fufFereth
long, and is kind, meek, humble, not feeking its
own, but the good of others J this love is loft. The
love unfeigned is baniftied; a feigned love, fuch a love
as enmity and violence proceeds from, is got in th$
place of it. The true love loves the enemy, and can-
not return enmity for enmity, but feeks the good of
them who hate it : but this love can perfecute and
hate that which it calls the friend, nay, the brother,
becaufe of fome difference in opinion or pradice.
The love that was in Chrift, taught him to lay down
his life for his Iheep; and he that hath the fame love,
can lay down his life for his brother. But the love
that is now amongft Chriftians tends rather to the
taking away of life.
What is the love amongft the Papifts ? See their
inquifitions, their wraths, their fire and faggot, &c.
What is their love in New-England ? Is it not a
love that can imprifon or banifti their brother, if he
differ but a little from them in judgment or practice
about their worlhip? Yea, they can whip, burn in the
hand, cut off ears, juft like the bidiops of Old Eng-
land. If one had told them, when they fled from the
perfecution of the bifhops here, that they themfelves
ftiould have done fuch things, they would have been
apt to reply, with Hazael, What ! are we dogs ? But
they fled from the crofs, which would have crucified
that perfecuting fpirit, and fo carried it alive with
them J and being alive, it grew by degrees to as great
an head there, as it did in the biftiops here.
And
26 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
And what is the love here in Old England ? Is it
net a love that whips, ftocks, imprifons, ftones, jeers ?
Yea, the very teachers (which Ihould be patterns of
love to others) they will eail into prifon, and diflrain
the goods of their brother, even almoft. to his undo-
ing, for maintenance, according to the law of the
land made in the apollafy. See the Record of Sufferings
for Tithes in England^ which may make any tender
heart bleed to read it, and is lil^e to lie as a brand of
infamy on the magiftracy and miniftry of England to
fucceeding generations. Is this the love of the right-
eous feed I Or is it Cain's love, which is in profeflion,
in word, in (hew, but not in deed and in truth ? And
how can thefe love God ? Nay, if the true love of
God were in them, this enmity could not ftand, nor
fuch fruits of it fhoot forth. But they have not ittxv
the Father or the Son. And that life of them whicli
appears in the earth, the evil fpirit in man feeks to
deitroy, that he may keep up his own image and Iha-
dow of life, which the nature of, the true life in its
appearance fights againft. " By this Ihall all men
*' know that ye are my difciples, if ye love one an-
*' other." And by this may all men know, that
thofe that now go for Chriftians are not Chrift's difci-
ples, in that they do not love one another. They
are not at unity in the light, and fo cannot love one
another there ; but arc only in unity in forms, in opi-
nions, in profeflions, in practices ; fo any difference
there ftirs up the enmity, caufing rifmgs in the heart
againft them at lead, if it proceed not further. The
true love grows from true union and fellowlhip in the
light; where that is not known, there cannot be true
love in the Spirit, but a feigned love in the flelh.
5. The true hope, joy, and peace are loll.
The true ground of hope is Chrift in the heart, and
the true hope is that hope which arifeth from this
ground, from the feeling of Chrift there 5 " Chrift in
« you
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN, 2/
" you the hope of glory." Col. i. 27. What is the
true Chriftian's hope? It is Chrifl in him 3 he " hath
*' eternal life abiding in him ;" and he knows that
cannot but lead to glory. But what is the common
Chriftian's hope ? He fallens his hope upon the rela-
tion and his belief of an hiftory. " He that believeth
'* fhall be faved." I believe; therefore I fhall be
faved. And thus, as he hath got up a wrong faith,
and a wrong love, fo he gets up a wrong hope. And
this hope will perifh; for it is the hope of the hypo-
crite, or an hope in the hypocritical nature, which
complies with fcripture-words, but is not in union
with God, nor with the life of the fcriptures; and fo
being without the anchor, is tolfed in the waves of the
fea.
And the true joy is in the Spirit, from what is felt,
and enjoyed, and hoped for there. But the common
Chriftian's joy is from things which he gathers into
and comprehends- in his underftanding; or from flafhes
which he feels in the affectionate part, from a fire and
fparks of his own kindling, from whence he fetches
his warmth and comfort.
And the true peace ftands in the reconciliation with
God, by having that broken down which caufeth the
wrath, and to which the wrath is, wherever it is found.
The Lamb of God breaks down the wall of feparation
in the heart j the blood of Jefus, wherein is the life,
cleanfeth away the fin there, maketh the heart pure,
uniteth the pure heart to the pure God : here is union,
here is fellowftiip, here is peace; but the common
Chriftian's peace is from a mifunderftanding of fcrip-
tures, while the wall of feparation is ftanding, while
wickednefs lodges in the heart. They reafon them-
felves, from fcripture words, into an apprehenfion that
God is at peace with them, and that they are in union
with him •, while that of God which is in them, wit-
nelTeth againft them, and checks them, and wars with
them i and they are not one with it, nor cannot be,
in that nature and underftanding wherein their life lies,
to which belongs no peace.
Vol. I. G The
28 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
6. The true repentance, converfion, and regeneration
have been loft..
The true repentance is from dead works, and from
the dead principle whence all the dead works proceed :
but thefe have not been repented of, but cherifhed in
the apoftafy. The praying, the ftriving, the worfliipping,
the fighting, hath been from the dead principle. The
building up and whole exercife of religion in the apof-
tafy, hath been in that underftanding which is to be
deftroyed ; and the will, which Ihould have been cru-
cified, hath been pleafed and fed with its religion.
The true converfion is from the power of Satan to
God, from the darknefs to the light : but in the apof-
tafy, men have not known God or Satan, the light or
the darknefs ; but have miftook, taking the one for
the other, worfliipping the devil inftead of God, Rev.
xiii. 4. and following the dark conceivings of their
own and other mens minds concerning fcripture, and
calling them light.
Regeneration is a changing of man, whereby the
birth is born of the Spirit ; the ftripping of the creature
of its own nature, of its own underftanding, of its
own will, and forming it anew in the womb of the
Spirit; fo that the old creature is paiTed away, and
comes forth a new thing, which grows up daily in the
new life towards the fulnefs of Chrift. But men have
been fo far from being born of the Spirit, that they
have not fo much as known the gift of the Spirit in
them; but to this day are enemies, and at a diftance
from that of God in them, which is pure. And if
they could but open their eyes, they would fee that
their birth is flefhly, and confifts, at beft, but in fuch
a conformity to the letter, as the old nature may imi-
tate and attain ; but the immortal feed is not fprung
up in them, nor they dead to the mortal, or alive to
the immortal.
« 7. The
MADE MANIFESt, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 29
7. The true -wifdomj righteoufnefs, fantflification, and
redemption are loft.
The true wifdom ftands in the fear of Godj and
departing from evil : this thofe that are taught of
God learn, and thereby are made wife unto falvation.
But moft that are called Chriftians are not come to
the fear of God ; and many are got above it, looking
upon it as legal, and not appertaining to the gofpel j
but the gofpel-ftate is love, which cafleth out fear.
Doth the love of God refufe or call: out the fear of
God ? Nay, it cafts out the fear that brings bondage;
the fear that came in by tranfgrefllon ; which fear is
flirred up, and difcovered by the law. And this is a
fear of fin, or a fear arifing from fin, through the law's
manifeftation of it, and the wrath againft it, which
caufeth both the fear, and much bondage from the
fear : and this the gofpel (which difcovers the love,
the mercy, the grace, the power, and unites to them)
frees from, and cafts out. But tiien there is a fear
of God ; a fear wrought in the heart by his Spirit ; a
fear which is part of the new covenant (" I will put
*' my fear in their hearts, and they fliall not depart
" from mc"); a fear which is part of the " everlaft-
" ing gofpel," Rev. xiv. 6, 7. and " endureth for
" ever," Pf. xix. 9. And this fear is not bondage,
but libertyj it is indeed bondage to the unjuft, but
liberty tothejuft; for where this fear is, fin is de-
parted from ; it lets free; it delivers the feet out of
the fnare of iniquity , there is true liberty. Can fin
prevail in that heart, where the pure clean fear of
God is placed by God to keep it down ? The love of
God doth not caft out this fear, but keeps in this fear;
and this fear keeps the heart clean from the evil which
defiles, and preferves the love from the enmity, which
fprings up where this fear is not. Now this fear in
the apoftafy was loft, or elfe what needed there an
efpecial miniftry to be raifed up to preach it again.
Rev. xiv. 6, 7. And the eftate of Chriftians every
G 2 wher?
30 The way of LIFE and DEATH
where doth manifeft this lofs; for their hearts are not
kept clean, which fheweth that the fear (which doth
keep clean where it is) is wanting in them. There is
pollution, there is filth, there is deceit, there is high-
mindednefs, felf-conceitednefs, and love of the world,
and worldly vanities, and many other evils to be found
in the hearts of thofe that go for Chriftians j and the
purity of heart (which comes from the fear, and Hands
in the wifdom) is not known. They are wife to do
evil J but want the knowledge to avoid the evil, and
do the good. They are wife to get and enjoy the
world ; but know not the true riches. They are wife
to gather together many fcripture-words againft fin,
and yet ftill keep the nature and life of it in the heart,
and it is as a fweet morfel under the tongue. They
are wife to apply promifes to comfort themfelves with
(when fometimes they receive ajufl wound in their
hearts from the righteous-one) ; but know not that
nature, or that eftate and condition, to which all the
promifes are made ; but are yet in that nature, and in
that eftate and condition, to which the curfe apper-
tains.
The true righteoufnefs ftands in the faith, in hear-
ing and obeying the word of faith. How comes the
righteoufnefs of the law, but by hearing and obeying
the voice of the law ? And how comes the righteouf-
nefs of the gofpel, but by hearing and obeying the
Word of faith, who is preached, and the preacher of
righteoufnefs, in the heart ? The apoflle Paul makes
this comparifon, Rom. x. The righteoufnefs of the
law fpeaketh on this wife, " The man that doth thefe
" things, Ihall live in them." But how fpeaketh the
Word of faith ? " The word is nigh thee, in thy
" mouth, and in thy heart ;" he that doth that, he
that heareth that, Ihall live in that. " The hour is
" coming, and now is, when the dead Ihall hear the
*' voice of the Son of God, and they that hear Ihall
'* live." Difobedience to the law is unrighteoufnefs,
and brings deaths and difobedience to the living
Word is unrighteoufnefs, and cannot be juftified, but
condemned i
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 3I
condemned ; and obedience to it cannot be condemn-
ed, but juftified : fo that when the foul hears, be-
lieves, and obeys, then it is juftified ; then its former
fins are forgotten, and this is im.puted to it unto right-
eoufnefs. But when the foul will not hear, will not
believe, will not obeVj this unbelief is judged in him,
and his fins retained, and not remitted. Now is not
this a juft and equal way of juftification, O ye fons
of men ! Is not your way unequal ? Shall a man con-
tinue in the unbelief and rebellion againft Chrift,
againft the light, againft the faith, and yet be juftified
by Chrift, by the light, by the faith ? This cannot be ;
God's way of imputation will ftand j but man's in-
vented way of imputation, which fprung up in the
apoftafy, will not ftand. If we walk in the light, as
he is in the light, the blood cleanfeth -, but not other-
wife. If we walk after the Spirit, and not after the
flefti, there is no condemnation ; and not othervvife.
The true baptifm is the plunging down of the old
thing, with all its filth, and the raifing up of a new
thing ; and it is the new thing, the circumcifion, the
baptifm, which is juftified. God juftifieth his Son,
and man only fo far as he is found in his Son.
The true fandification confifts in the growth of the
feed, and its fpreading, like a leaven, over the heart,
and over the whole man. By faith Chrift is formed in
the heart J the hidden man in the myftery is formed
there ; and as this feed, this leaven, this man grows,
fo he makes the man holy in whom he grows. The
feed of life, the kingdom of heaven, is an holy thing;
and as it grows and fpreads, it purgeth out the old
leaven, and makes the lump new; but now^ in Chrif-
tians that have grown up in the apoftafy, this feed is
not known, this leaven is not fo much as difccrned ;
but their holinefs confifts in a conformity to rules of
fcripture, received into the old heart and underftand-
ing. And what a noife hath this made in the world,
all this night of the apoftafy ! as if this were the heir,
and ftiould inherit the kingdom. Nay, nay; the heir
hath appeared, (by whole prefence it is feen, that this
G 3 is
31 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
is not the heir) and ye fhall not be able to kill him j
but he fhall live to enjoy his inheritance, and the in-
heritance fhall not be yours.
Redemption confifts in being bought, by the price
of the life, out of fin, out of death, out of the earth,
out of the power of the devil. It is a cafting off the
ftrong man out of the heart, with all that he brought
in, and a delivering from his power. It is a difTolving
of the work of fin, which the devil hath wrought in
the heart, and a fetting the foul, which is immortal,
at liberty, free from fin, and free unto righteoiifiiefs :
this is the true redemption. But this redemption in
the apoftafy is a feigned redemption, wherein falvation
from fin, and the devil, and his power, is not feltj
but the ftrong man is ftill in the heart, and keeps the
foul in death, and brings forth fruits of death daily.
The Chriftians formerly (in the firft day of the
breaking forth of God's power) had Chrifl in them,
the living Word ; they opened their hearts to him, re-
ceived him in, felt him there, found him made of
God to them their wifdom, their righteoufnefs, their
fan6tification, their redem.ption, i Cor. i. 30. They
had the thing that thefe words fignify and fpeak of,
and knew the meaning of the words by feeling of the
thing. But Chriftians now, in the apoftafy, have
got feveral apprehenfions from the words, without
feeling the thing the words fpeak of-, and there lies
their religion. And now the true heir being come,
holding forth the thing they have been all talking of,
all fe6ls upon the earth are mad againft him, and
would fain kill him. They would not have the living
fubflance, which is the heir, live, and nothing be
efleemed life but that; but they would have their
dead apprehenfions from the words live, and their dead
forms and pradices owned i and the heir of life mufl
come in their way, in the way that they have hoped
and waited for him, or they will not own him. A-
wake ! awake ! O ye fons of the apoflafy, and of the
night ! rife up out of the flefhly wifdom, out of th^
dead flefhly interpretations of fcriptures, out of th^
dead
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. ^3
de.id invented forms of worfhip, and bow to the heir j
kifs the Son, left ye feel the force of that dreadful
fentence, " Thofe mine enemies, which would not
** that I fhould reign over them, bring hither, and
" flay them before me." For of a truth the great
prophet is rifen, and fpeaks in the heart, and his fheep
hear his voice (there are many faithful witnefll^s there-
of) ; and he that will not hear his voice, muft be cut
off; there is no avoiding of it : for the two-edged
fword is in his hand, and he will cut down the tranf-
grelfor.
8. The church, the true church, was loft.
The true church was a company gathered out of
the world into God, begotten of, and gathered into
his life by, the living Word, and fo had a true place
and habitation in God. The apollle Paul, writing to
the Theffalonians, itiles them a church in God. A
church under the gofpel is made up of true Ifraelites,
gathered out of their own fpirits and nature into the
meafure of the Spirit of God in them, as Chrift was
into the fulnefs. They are fuch as are begotten of
God, born of his Spirit, led by him out of Egypt,
through the wildernefs, to Sion the holy mount; there
they meet with the eledt precious corner-ftone which
is laid in Sion ; and theyj being living ftones, ^re
built upon it into Jerufalem the holy city. Pet. ii. 5, 6,
Heb. xii. 22. This is the true church. Every one
that believes in Chrift is a living ftonej and being a
living ftone, he is laid. upon the living foundation,
and fo is a part of the building rn the temple of the
living God. Yea, his body and fpirit being cleanfed,
he himfelf is a temple wherein God dwells, appears,
and is worftiipped. And the gathering of any of
thefe together at any time in the life, in the name of
Chrift, is a larger temple, and fuch a temple as Chrift
never fails to be in the midft of. But the great tem-
ple, the full church, is the general aflembly of the
G 4 firft-
34 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
firfl-born. This is the unerring pillar and ground of
truth: this always bore up truth j truth never failed
here ; but when it was at any time loft in the world, it
might from hence be recovered again when God pleafed,
and as far as he pleafed. Indeed the law of the Lord
hath always gone forth from this Sion, and the living
word from this Jerufalem.
But what hath the church been in the apoftafy ? A
building of ftone, fay fome; and that not only among
Papifts, but here in England aifo. Many have called
the old mafs-houfe a church, a temple, the houfe of
God, pleading for it to be a holy place ; and have
Jliewed it by their pra(5tices, keeping off their hats
while they were in it.
Others fay, not the ftone building, but the people
that meet there, is the church ; whereof many are
openly profane -, yea, lb far from being gathered into
the Spirit, and fo ignorant of his motions, that they
are ready to feoff, if they hear a man fpeak of being
moved by the Spirit. What are thefe ? Are thefe living
ftones, whereupon the true church alone can be built?
Are thefe children of the day? Nay, thefe are children
of the night i children brought up in the apoftafy from
the true light, the true life, the true rule of Chriftianity,
the true worfhip, the true faith, the true love, &c.
and fo are dead ftones in that building; but not true
living ftones in God's building.
Other forts feparate from thefe, and gather congre-
gations out of thefe; but ftill in the fame fpirit, in the
fame nature, being not themfelvcs gathered out of the
apoftafy from the Spirit into the Spirit again ; and fo
they build but with the fame ftones as were in the old
building, and not with the new and living ftones, and
fo are but a more refined appearance of a church ; but
not a true church, not a church in God, and by the
gathering of his Spirit ; but of their own gathering,
after a form, according as they have imagined from
their reading and ftudying of the fcriptures^
9. (Which
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 25
9, (Vvhich may be the lafl: inftance) The miniftry, the
true miniflry, hath been loft.
The true miniftrywasa miniftry made and appointed
by the Spirit, by the gift of the Spirit beftovved on
them, and by the Spirit fending of them, and ap-
pointing them to their work. Chrift bid his apoftles
and difciples wait at Jerufalem for the promife of the
Spirit, and when he had given them the Spirit, he gave
them to the church for the work of the miniftry,
Ephef. iv. ii, 12. A6ts xx. 28. And if none can be
a member of the true church but by being begotten
out of death into life by the Spirit, furely none can be
able tominifterto him who is fo begotten, but by the
fame Spirit. So thefe receiving their miniftry of the
Lord Jefus, A(5ts xx. 24. and the gift of the Spirit
from him, they were m.ade " able minifters of the
" NewTeftament, not of the letter, but of the Spirit,"
1 Cor. iii. 6. They were able in God to minifter from
his Spirit to the fpirits of his people ; and they did
not minifter a literal knowledge of thin2;s to the un-
derftanding of man; but they led men to the Spirit
of God, and miniftered fpiritual things to that fpiritual
underftandino; which was given them of God. Nei-
ther did they make ufe of their own wifdom and art to
tickle the natural ear; but fpoke to the confcience,
with the demonftration of the Spirit in the fight of God,
as it pleafed the Spirit to give them utterance.
But how have minifters been made in the apoftafy ?
By orders from men, let up in their own wills, after
their own inventions. And how have they been
qualified, but by human arts and languages, which
have been of high efteem in that which men call the
church, fince the language and fl^ill of the Spirit of
God hath been loft. God, who chofe in his own church,
doth not choofe here who ftiall be his minifters; but
any man can appoint his fon to be a minifter, if he
\\'ill but educate him in learning, and fend him to the
univerfity, and fo bring him into that way of order
wherein
26 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
wherein men make mini Hers, and then he is able to
minifter unto man the thing-s of man, accordino: to
human fkill ; and tliis, in the dark night of apoftafy,
muft go for a true call to the miniftry of God. In-
deed, they are as true ministers as the church is to
which they minifter J but they never were, nor never
can be thus made minifters of the church of God :
but as God alone can form and build his church, fo
he alone can fit and appoint the minifters thereof. And
though oihers, having feen the grolTnefs of this, make
their minifters by a call in their church •, yet neither is
that out of the apoftafy, but only a ftriving of man to
get out of it ; which man cannot poiTibly do till he
meet with the Spirit of God to lead out of it. So
that that miniftry alfo is but an invention of man made
by man, and comes not from the Spirit, nor is able to
minifter fpirit to the fpirit.
Objefl. But hath there been no true religion fince the
days of the apoftles ? No true rule, no true worfliip,
no true faith, no true love, no true hope, joy, or
peace ! no true repentance, converfion, and regenera-
tion! no truewifdom, righteoufnefs, fanftification, and
redemption ! no true church, no true miniftry 1 What
is become of all our forefathers ? Did they all perifti ?
And hath not this miniftry converted many to God ?
Were not ye yourfelves converted by it? Nay, have
not many of them been martyrs, and witnefted to the
truth of God ? And though fome of them are bad,
yet are not many of them zealous and confcientious
preachers of the word at this day? By fuch reafonings
as thefe the wifdom of man much ftrengthens and
hardens itfelf againft the truth.
Anfw. The rule in nations, the worfliip in nations,
the faith, love, hope, joy, peace, repentance, conver-
fion, regeneration, &c. which have been cried up in
nations for the truth, the churches in nations, the
miniftry in nations, all thefe have been corrupted,
and never recovered their true ftate to this day*. There
have been changes from one thing to another; but the
reftoration hath noc been known. The whprilh fpiri^
hath
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 37
hath been hunted and purfued, and fo run out of one
form into another, traverfing her v/ay, and changing
her ground and garments} but hath not been taken and
judged to the death : and the true fpirit hath not been
able to find the bed of her hufband j but hath wandered
from mountain to hill all the time of this cloudy and
dark day, forgetting her refting-place.
Yet, though the whole earth was corrupted, and
falfe do(5lrine and worihip fet up every-where among
the nations, which continued the fornication and
■whoredom from the Spirit of life in the publick ways
and national worfhipsj notwithftanding this, even all
this while God referved a feed to himfelf, which he
caufed to fpring up in a remnant, and which he moved
and carried on to witnefs againll fomewhat of thefe
corruptions, in their feveral ages and generations.
And as faft as the bead killed and knocked down thefe,
God railed up more : yea, though the whorifh fpirit,
in fome nations, painted herfclf curioufly, leaving
fome of the grofs do6trines and worfhips of popery,
and got into a more refined way-, yet God raifed up
witnefTes againll her there alfo, and ftill doth, into
what form foever (lie gets : for though of late fhe
hath decked herielf very pleafingiy, as fhe thinks,
and covered herfelf round with fcripture words and
profefiions, and pradices as like as ever fhe can form
them to the practices of former faints j yet quick and
lively is the Spirit of God that fearcheth after her, who
hath found her out, and raifed up witnefTes againll her
there alfo.
Now this feed, this remnant, though they were not
able to recover the pofTeffion of the life and power that
was lofl; yet they had a true tafle of it, and their
teilimony which they gave out from that tafle was true:
and fo Car as they kept to this tcftimony in the faith
and in the patience which they had learned and received
from God (though but in a low meafure) they were
accepted of him. So that all were not loft in this night
of darknefsi but fuch as feared God, and knew and
hearkened to his voice^ had the teilimony of his
prefence
3$ The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
prefence with them, and tafted of his life and power
in meafure. God was not an hard mafter to them ;
but tender and gentle, and contented to reap v/hat he
fowed. But the appearance of God in this dark time
■was weak and low, and eafy to be made a prey of.
And this is very obfervable, that fo long as the fim-
plicity ran pure, it was preferved ; but fo foon as ever
the fpirit of man was tempted either in any old, or in-
to any new-invented form, the wifdom of the flelh got
in with it, grew up more than it, and when it had
gathered ftrength, corrupted the vefTel, betrayed the
fimplicity, and loft the life. There was a precious
thing ftirring in queen Mary's days, the life whereof
was more hurt and fuppreffed by thdt dead form of
epifcopacy fucceeding afterwards, than by the fore-
going perfecution. The perfecution did clear and
brighten it; but the flellily form of epifcopacy brought
death over it. Thus many precious beginnings and
buddings forth of life have been betrayed in thefe late
days ; and the forms of Prefbytery, Independency,
and Anabaptifm, have been little Icfs than graves to
bury and keep down the life. How many fpirits,
that had a precious favour in them at their entrance
into thofe forms, did foon become flefhly, earthly,
and very unfavoury, lofing the,quicknefs and frefhnefs
that was in them before, and falling into the deadnefs
of the form, withering with it.
And as touching the miniftry, though in itfelf It
was evil, being in the degeneration from the true
miniftry all this time of the apoftafy, and the perfons
therein, for the moft part, very corrupt, being brought
up to it as a trade, and making ufe of it as a trade;
yet I do believe that there was a fimplicity of heart in
fome perfons among them, which did caufe them, in
fome degree of faithfulnefs, to feek the Lord, his
fervice, and the good of fouls. And in the time of ig-
norance and darknefs, it pleafed God to wink at and
overlook the evil, and to caufe good to pafs from the
good in them to the good in others, through the evil
that hung about both. ^And this was the great tender-
nefs
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 39
nefs of the Lord, in pity to his poor creatures, who
were very deflitute of help in the thick night of dark-
nefs, and fliould not now be made ufe of to juftify
and keep up the evil. Do ye thus requite the Lord,
O foolifh people and unkind! becaufe his mercy and
goodnefs extended to you, notwithftanding the evil
which might have hindered, will ye make that an ar-
gument to keep up the evil, and to oppofe the lighc
which difcovers it ? Becaufe God caufed light to fiiine
through the darknefs, and vifited man in the dark,
will ye therefore fet up the darknefs as his proper way
of miniftration ? The corrupt way, call, and exercife
of the corrupt miniflry could not keep out the tender
love of God ; but he had refpect to the fimplicity of
fome who were found in it, and to the fimplicity of
others who waited on him for inftrud:ion there, and
did pleafe to give fome anfwer to both. And will ye
make this ungenerous ufe of it, to interpret it as his
approbation of that miniftry, which fprung up in the
apoftafy from him, among thofe that were apoftatifed,
and is a great difhonour to him, and the abhorring of
his foul ? A miniftry of Chrift, a miniftry fet up by
his Spirit, is precious i but a miniftry made by man,
according to his will, and miniftering in his v/ifdom,
the foul of the Lord beareth as a burden, and is pref-
fed with it; and as he raifeth up his own life, will
cafe himfelf of it. And what do they minifter from,
but the literal part of the fcriptures, which killeth,
and cannot give life. And what do they minifter with,
but their own undcrftanding part; what meanings they
can invent, what dedudlions their wifdom can draw
from the fcriptures ; but do not fee the true meaning
in the infallible and unerring light : and what do they
minifter to, but the underftanding part in you ?
Whereas there is fomewhat elfe to be miniftercd to by
the true minifter. And what do they minifter to you,
but food for the underftanding; food for the ferpentine
wifdom, which always fed upon knowledge, but never
upon the true bread. And hereby another thing is
fed in you, and not your fouls; but they are kept in
leannefs
40 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
Icannefs and barrennefs, under death and the bondage
of corruption (which Paul cried out upon as a
wretched (late, and could find no eafe, reft, or freedom
from condemnation there), and without the true life
and redemption. I do not deny but ye may there
meet with fome kind of warmth in the affedionate
parr, which may be heated by a fire and fparks of
man's kindling and blowing up; and this may go for
life with you now: but in the prefence of the truth,
where the eye is open, it vanifheth ; yea, the Spirit of
the Lord hath fo blown upon it, that it is even withered
in the fight of a more inferior eye in many people,
POSITION III.
That there is to be a recovery, a true recovery, out of
this ftate of apoftafy, into the true ftate of Chriiii-
anity again.
GOD will not let the defolations of Sion remain for
ever; but he will again "build up Sion, and
'* appear in his glory." He will fet his " king upon
** his holy hill of Sion. The new Jerufalem fliall
" again come down from heaven. The man-child,"
which was taken up, " fhall come down again, con-
" quering, and to conquer; and the lamb fhall get
** the viftory'* over the whore, and over all her apof-
tatifed nations and churches, that have a name and not
the life; and he fhall " rule them with a rod of iron,"
and make them a defolation, which have made his holy
city defolate, and trample them down which have
trampled upon it. " The lofty city he will lay low ;
*' he will lay it low, even to the ground : he will
" bring it even to the dufl : the foot Ihall tread it
" down, the feet of the poor, the fteps of the needy."
The whore fhall be judged, with the beafl wTiereupon
fhe rode. The life, which they trod upon, fhall rife
up in the mighty power of the Lord, and overturn
them. " The everlafting gofpel Ihall be again preached
« to
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 41
" to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation
" and kindred, and tongue and people," Rev. xiv. 6.
Mark: the gofpel that was preached to the nations all
the time of the apoftafy, was not the everlafting gofpel ;
that gofpel did not bring life and immortality to light;
but they were hid from mens eyes, and men had only
a found of words inftead of the thing. And thus poor
nations, kindreds, people, tongues, were every-where
bewitched with a form of things; with an outward
knowledge, a perifliing knowledge in the perifhing
part; a vain, traditional, invented worlhip, which
ftands in the v/ifdom and will of man ; but had no
union and fellov;fhip with that which is everlafting.
And thus all the nations, in the fmoke of the bottom-
lefs pit, ran into the pit from whence the fmoke came.
But the Lord hath a time to pity the poor nations,
and to fend forth his true everlafting gofpel again, to
deliver the nations from that witchery, and forcery,
and fpiritual inchantmcnt which got up in the dark.
And as this everlafting light fprings up, then down
goes Babylon J dov/n go all invented do6lrines, all in-
vented forms, all invented worftiips, and that wifdom
and evil fpirit that raifed them up. " Babylon is fallen,
" is fallen ! that great city ! becaufe fhe made all na-
" tions drunk of the wine of the cup of her fornica-
" tion," Rev. xiv. 8. And now the new wine of the
kingdom, which is tafted of in the everlafting gofpel,
purges out the old wine; and the drunkennefs, which
thereby came upon the nations, waftes. And they
that have tafted of this life, and know this life, can
never be bewitched back again, by the whorifh fpirit,
to dead forms and likeneffes without life. Nay, when
Babylon falls, flie can rife no more. Though the life
fall often, it can rife again ; but when the witchery
from the life is difcovered and caft into the pit, it
can get out no more. Indeed the beaft hath had all
the ftrength of the nations, and the whore hath had all
the wifdom, all the efteem, all the honour. Who can
make war with the beaft ? Who can (hew miracles and
wonders like the falfe prophets ? Who can teach but
the
42 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
the wife, learned, orthodox men, that have the arts,
and know the original ? Yea, there is another that can
make war, and a prophet that can preach better than
they ; one that can preach life ; one that can preach
the everlafting gcfpel, and knows the original of it;
one that is wiier and ftronger than the whore, and by
his v/ifdom and ftrength is able to judge her, and call
her out of the nations, though fhe has got very ftrong
poileflion. Rev. xviii. 8. Now learn wifdom ; " know
'' the parable of the fig-tree;" come to the life that is
arifen, and abide not in the death that is pafied and
pafling away. Y'e have heard the voice of the whore,
ye have drank of her cup, ye have been bewitched,
ye have fet up her inventions ; but have w-anted the
thing which cannot be invented, and which the invent-
ing underftanding cannot comprehend. But if the
force of the wine Ihall remain upon you, fo that ye
cannot hearken after, or let in that which is everlafting,
afTure yourfelves, as the life rifes, ye will meet with
plagues and wraths from it, inftead of the refrefhmcnts
it brings to others ; and know what it is to fit down
under the dead talk of, without feeling, the living
power of redemption. Therefore be wife, and know
the times and feafons. That will not be borne with
now, which was borne with formerly ; but as the love
and power of God to falvation have miore appeared,
fo the feverity againft thofe who now refift will appear
more alfo j and death fhall have its fting, which they
that will love darknefs, and hate the light, Ihall
feel.
POSITION IV.
That they that are in thofe things which have been fet
up in the tinoes of the apoftafy, are not yet come
to the recovery from the apoftafy,
THEY that are in the dodrines and bodies of
divinity which have been formed fince, are not
in the true dodtrine.
They
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 43
They that are in the rules of life which wife church-
men, or fynods, or councils have given, or which
they themfelves have gathered by their indultry out of
the fcriptures, are not in the true, living, and ever-
lafting rule. They that are in the worfliip, or under
the miniftry, or of any church which hath been fet up
fince by the power of man, or from the inventing
wifdom (though this wifdom hath founded its inven-
tions upon the fcriptures) are not in the true worlhip,
in the true church, or under the true miniftry. They
that are in the faith, which has iince been gathered
into the underftanding, and did not fpring up from
the myflery of life in the heart, are not in the true
faith. The fame may be faid of love, hope, joy,
peace, ami all the reft mentioned before ; yea, and all
other things in religion j for all hath been corrupted,
even the inward part. And while here hath been a
great contention about the forms of worftiip and
church-government, the power of godlinefs, and the
government of Chrift in the heart, have been loft.
Obferve diligently what we have now to fay. When
the apoftles, who had the true miniftry, preached the
gofpel, they ftined and raifed up the power of God in
the heart j and the power of fin, corruption, and de-
ceit funlv down, and was under foot, and trampled
upon by the power. But when antichrift and the falfe
prophets arofe, they raifed up the corruption again,
and fed it with doflrines of deceit j but the power
funk down, and was not feltj but buried all that time
of the prevailing of the corruption and deceit. Now
the power was not loft all this while in itfelf ; but only
loft to man, fo that he knew not where to find it.
Yet this power, in this time of lofs, did ftir and move,
and make them in fome degree fenfible of the lofs,
caufing them to pant and leek after the living truth.
And this was good -, this was of God. But then there
was an evil fpirit, which was near to the good, and
lay lurking in the ferpentine wifdom of the heart,
and that drew the mind (which was bent toward the
feeking of a right thing) a wrong wav, that cried, Lo
Vol. I, H ' hen I
44 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
herel lo there I look into the fcriptures; the church
wasfoandfoj go, get into fiich a thing; the Chrif-
tians there did fo and fo; go, do fuch a thing; there
is the way; there thou Ihait meet with the life and
the power. And thus it drew from that which ftirred
within, into an imitation of a form without, and there
they came to a lofs. I dare appeal to all honell hearts,
was there not a good thing ftirring in you, when ye
went into your church forms? Were ye not led in
fimplicity, hoping to meet with life and power there ?
Nay, did ye not lofe it there, and become deader ?
Did ye meet with the life and power there ? 1 know,
if ye have not forgotten the tafte of life, ye will con-
fefs to me, that that which now ye have is not life,
but far fhort of that which ye had when ye entered in-
to your form. Ah ! poor hearts, the whore. bewitched
you. The harlot in your bofoms, and the faife pro-
phets without, helped to increafe the witchery, crying,
Lo here ! and lo there ! but ye knew not that the king-
dom of heaven was within ; from whence that ftirring
of life was in you, where ye Ihould have kept, and
not have gone forth : but now ye are dead, and buried
in your graves, lying there without fenfe, and are now
got into the fpirit of the world, and into the enmity
againft that life in others, which was then your life.
And do ye know where ye are, and what ye are do-
ing ? Can ye bear to hear it ?
Of a truth ye are in the fnare of the enemy, in the
inchantment from the life, in the whore's bed, in the
ftrumpet's bofom, and not in the bofom of our be-
loved. And your practices are branches of the forni-
cation, parcels of the whoredom, inventions which
have been gathered in by that underftanding, and fet
up by that will, which whored from God. They are
the effedls and products of the whore's cup, wl}ich gets
new dreffes, new habits, new forms, new ways to co-
zen and deceive the fimple with -, but ftill fhe remains
the whore, and thofe who are feduced by her are led
into her whoredom. For when God difcovers and
hunts her out of one form, then Ihe decks herfelf with
another.
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 45
another, perhaps more feemingly fpiritual, more fcrip-
ture-like, and fo more likely to take with the fimple
heart; and then fhe lies in wait for the young man to
entrap him again, faying, Come in hither; this is the
true way of God without doubt. Did not the faints
meet with life here formerly ? Come thou hither alfo.
Here is the bed of thy beloved ; take thy fill of life,
thy fill of love. And thus the poor, honeft, fimple
heart follows her, going like a fool to the correftion
of the ftocks, not knowing that it is for his life, until
he come to feel the lofs of life. And then, if fhe find
flie cannot keep him there, but frefh ftirrings of life
fpring up in him again, and withdraw him from that
which had deceived him, then fhe paints again, and
lies in wait for him again, to catch him in fome more
refined appearance, or in fome elevated notion, or at
leaft in the fliadow of that which is true: for the
whore hath not only art and power to invent forms
and likenefTes of that which is true, and makes idols
and images of them ; but it hath power alfo given it
over the outward court; fo that that which is found
there it can make idols and images of; that which is
corruptible, it can get into and corrupt, and make an
enemy to that life which lived in it before it was cor-
rupted ; and when it is corrupted, then there is no
more truth or life to be found there, but the idol and
the idolatry.
The apoftle John, who forewarned of antichrifl",
and gave a mark whereby it might be known, namely,
by his not confefling Chrift come in the flefli, i John
iv. 3. (which he that fetteth up any thing of the old
covenant, or any invention or imitation of any thing
therein, doth not) bids alfo beware of idols : *' Lit-
" tie children keep yourfelves from idols." i John
V. 21. Now what is an idol ? The apoftle Paul faith,
" An idol is nothing in the world." An idol is no
true thing in its place; but a falfe thing fet up inftead
of the true. A falfe conception of God in the mind
is an idol ; a falfe church or tempie is an idol ; a falfe
/niniller, who is not made accordinjg to the appomt-
H 2 men:
46 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
ment of God, and by the gift of his Spirit, but came
in another way, by the appointment of man, is an idol
Ihepherd j and the worfliip in this church, and by tliis
miniftry, is publick idolatry ; and all the worfhip in
families, which has been erefted after the fame manner,
without the guidance of the Spirit of God, is private
idolatry. Were the heathens temples, altars, priefts,
facrifices, and other inventions of theirs (in imitation
of the Jews) idolatrous ? And are not the inventions
of the heathenilh fpirit, or antichriftian nature in man,
are not they alfo idolatrous ?
Objeft. But is praying idolatry, preaching idolatry,
finging idolatry, baptizing of infants idolatry, break-
ing of bread idolatry ?
Anfw. The praying which God appointed is not
idolatry: praying in the Spirit of God, when he moves,
and according to the will of God, which is only
known in the Spirit, is not idolatry; but thy praying
in thine own fpirit, and at thine own times, and ac-
cording to thine own will (perhaps in way of imita-
tion of the Jewifh morning and evening facrifices) this
is idolatry. This is that which thou haft fet up, inftead
of that which God fet up ; and fo it is not the true
thing which God fet up, but an idol of thy own mak-
ing-, and fo thou worfliippeft not God therein, but
that fpirit which helped thee to invent and fet up the
idol. The fame might be faid concerning preaching,
fmging, walhing with water, breaking of bread, and
whatever elfe is pradlifed in religion upon thefe
terms,
Objed. But doth not the fcripture mention thefe
things ? And did not the faints pradife thefe things ?
Surely they were not idolaters ! Can I be an idolater
in practifing that which they pra6tifed ?
Anfw. Nay, thou art miftakeni they are nqt the
things which they pradlifed. The ftrefs of their reli-
gion lay in the life of it, in the prefence of the Spirit
of God in it: it was his breath made it the truth.
Now, if thou couldft have the fame things that they
had, yet without the fame living breath, they would
be
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 47
be but dead things ; but idols. But thou haft not
the true form of things neither j thou haft not the true
church, the true nminiftry, the true ordinances, accord-
ing to the form -, but things fet up in their ftead, by
the invention of man, in the time of the apoftafy from
the true things ; and what can thefe be but idols ?
** The world wondered after the beaft; and they
*' worfhipped the dragon, which gave power unto the
" beaft, and they worfhipped the beaft." Rev. xiii.
3, 4. Behold, what was worfhipped at the time of the
apoftafy ! that which arofe from the beaftly invention
of man, and not from the true Spirit of life. And
the inventing and fetting up of thefe, and worfhipping
according to thefe inventions, is worfhipping the dra-
gon (for he getteth in, and lodgeth in man's inven-
tions), and not the living God. And therefore God,
at the end of this apoftafy, raifeth up a new miniftry,
to recall the nations from worfliipping the dragon to the
worfhip of God again, ver. 6, 7. of that chapter, " What
" the Gentiles facriiiced" of old, " they facrificed to
" devils, and not to God." i Cor. x. 20. And what
the late Gentiles facrifice (I mean Chriftians in the
heathenifh nature, Chriftians to whom the outward
court was given. Rev. xi. 2. and who have a profef-
fion of the faints words and pra6lices, but without
life) they facrifice not to God neither; but to that
fpirit that helped them to invent and form a likenefs
or image of the truth. TranfgrefTing the principle
of God within, they go from God, and from his wor-
fhip ; and the devil, who went out from the truth,
gets in, and they go into his power ; and whatever
they perform in worfhip there, is to him ; for when
they go from the principle of God in them, the devil
gets into their hearts, and God goes out; and his true
life, power, and worfhip are not known, but an image
or likenefs, which the devil fets up inftead of the true
thing. So then, in that ftate, let men confider what
they worfhip; for there they cry up ordinances and
duties, and kill one another about them, thinking
that they worfhip and honour God thereby 3 but know
H 3 not.
48 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
not, nor are come to, that wherein God alone can be
worlhipped and honoured.
" I know the blafphemy of them, which fay they
*' are Jews, and are not, faith the Spirit." Rev. ii. 9.
Is this blafphemy ? For a man to call hirnfelf a Chrif-
tian, who is not, what is that ? To call that a church,
which is not, what is that ? To call him a minifter of
Chrift, who is not, what is that ? To call thofe the
ordinances of Chrift, which are not, what is that ?
To call that faith, which is not, that juftification
which is not. Sec. what is that ? Can ye fpy out the
blafphemer ? Ye have made a great outcry again him
long; are ye willing now he fhould be put to death ?
The Lord hath lighted his candle j he is fearching for
him, and he will find him out : and as we have de-
fired, fo it fhall be •, the Lord will not fpare him. O
be awakened, be awakened, ye heathenifh Chriftians !
Open the eye that can fee, and behold where ye are,
and what ye are doing, and how fall ye are running
into the pit. Ye have forgotten Gods ye have loft
the true line of judgment; ye have loft the key of
knowledge; and the light that is in you is darknefs,
and leads to darknefs, though ye cannot polTibly be-
lieve it. Oh ! come back to the remembrance of
God, and to true holinefs, without which no man fliall
fee him. For the wicked fliall be turned into hell,
and all the nations that forget God ; and ye have for-
gotten him days without number.
P O S I T I O N V.
That the only way of recovery out of the apoftafy is
by returning to, and keeping in, that Spirit from
which the apoftafy was.
THE apoftafy came by leaving the Spirit of
God, and running after another fpirit ; and the
recovery muft be by leaving that other fpirit, and
returning to the Spirit of God again. How did Chrif*
tian$
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 49
tians formerly begin their religion ? They began in the
Spirit, Gal. iii. 3. And fo they were to go on to
perfe6tion, and not to intermix any thing of the
flefh. And had the anointing been kept to, antichrift
and the myftery of iniquity had been kept out; and
where that is returned to, the antichriftian fpirit is
purged out by degrees, and the ways thereof difcovered
and forfaken. Therefore know the whorifh fpirit in
thyfelf, which is bufy to form likenefles in thy mind
to feduce thee, and to make thee fall in love with the
likeneiTes which (he hath formed in other mens minds,
and let her not deceive thee with her paint and gaudy
appearances; but know likewife the little fcal of life,
from which truth fprings up in thee, and in which the
Spirit of Truth dwells, and is to be found; and take
heed, left the ferpenrine wifdom teach thee to defpife
and turn from it. From this fpring it was that truth
fprung up in the witnefles all the time of the apoftafy;
for they had their teftimony from the Spirit of prophecy.
Rev. xix. 10. So far as they kept to that, they gave
a true teftimony; fo far as their own fpirits mixed with
it, they corrupted it. But to abide in that was very
hard ; and there was need of much affliction and per-
fecution to keep the flefti down, and to preferve thq
life pure. But as the life fprings up more ftrongly,
and overcomes that fpirit inwardly, (I mean the wife
fleihly fpirit) there will be lefs need of outward af-
flidions or perfecutions ; yea, or inward either : but
there will be a fafe entrance into, and abiding in, the
joy, the reft, the peace, where the whore within
(which feduced from the life, where the power is, into
fome form where the power is not) is burnt. Learn
then, and know in thyfelf that Spirit of prophecy
which fpoke in all the martyrs. Hear that, come to
that, keep to that ; feel the union, the fellowlhip, the
fpreading of that in thee. When that bids thee go,
go; when that bids thee come, come ; when that bids
thee do this, do it. But the fiefti is grown ftrong,
and ftrongly refifteth this Spirit, both inwardly and
outwardly ; and will not fuffer him to rife up in the
H 4 heart.
50 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
heart, or to rife up in the nation; but at anytime
when he ftirreth, and offers to fpeak, or lead to God,
there is a reafon rifes up in the flefhly wifiiom that
knocks him down, and denies his voice, and hearkens
to another voice inftead of his. Thus they firft give
way to the flefhly wifdom, and fupprefs the truth in
themfelves, and then they would go forth and fupprefs
it in others ; and they think them mad, and their rage
rifeth againil them where the truth is fuffered to
grow, and man's reafon or fleihly wifdom denied. And
thus is the " Lord of glory " evilly intreated, and
flain at this day by this generation of Chriftians, as he
was by the Jews flain formerly in the prophets, in that
his appearance in a fleflily form, and in his apoftles:
and his blood will be required ; tor the earth Ihall not
always drink it up and cover it, nor the adulterous
woman be always able to wipe her mouth, and fay,
fhe hath done no wickednefs. Ye have faved alive the
unjuft, and killed the jutl. The murdering nature is
alive in you, O ye Chriftians j but the Holy One is
flain, and lies buried in your graves : and ye have
painted your graves, and fpeak good words of him ;
but ftill keep him down, and let another rife up and
live in you. Ye cry up that appearance of Chrift in
the flefh, and the words he then fpoke, and the words
of his apoftles, and think if ye had lived in thofe
days, ye would not have killed either him or his apof-
tles j and yet ye refill and oppofe the fame life in
yourfelves and in others, with fuch a kind of wifdom
in the letter as the Pharifees had. O what will ye do !
the uncircumcifed ear is got up in you, and ye cannot
hear; and the uncircumcifed heart, and ye cannot un-
derftandj but when this is told you, ye defpife and
wonder, and go on in the perifhing ftate. My bowels !
my bowels ! I am pained at my bowels ! O England !
England ! thou that killedft the martyrs in queen
Mary's days; thou that perfecutedft theNonconform-
ifts afterwards ; thou that wouldft not fuffer the peo-
ple of God to meet together, to feek him with an
honeft heart i but wouldft confine them to thy grofs
formal
jIade manifest, and set before men. 51
formal ways of worfhip ! though tlie Lord hath ap-
peareu, and broken the horns of the opprelfors ; yet
the perfecutlng fpirit is not broken in thee ; but thou
ftill hunceft after the precious life of the feed, and
wouldft not let it fpring up in the nation. The fpirit
of enmity is ftill up in thee, which knows not the
Lord of life ; but by a natural inftincl oppofeth him,
and would fain keep up fome grave or other, it cares
not what, fo it might but thereby keep down the life:
for thou canft now bear with any form, and cherifli it;
and thy only enmity is againft thofe who are fent by
the Lord to gather out of all forms into the life. How
often would the Lord have gathered thee 1 but thou
wouldft not: and yet feeks to gather thee; but ftill
thou wilt not : but, as if the former laws, made in
queen Mary's days, were not fufficienr, defireft new
laws, to infnare and entangle the innocent. What will
become of thee, or what wilt thou fay to the Lord,
when he arifeth to plead the caufe of the innocent ?
For that Spirit which he raifed up to witnefs againft:
the vfhorilii fpirit (which lies hid in thy forms of
worlhlp and religion, and appears in all thy laws,
councils, and ways of government, fo far as they were
formed, and fo far as they are guided, by the wifdom
of the flefh) is innocent: even as that Spirit which
witnefted formerly againft popery and epifcopacy was
innocent before the Lord, though accufed by them as
guilty of error in itfelf, and of difturbance to the pub-
lick |eace, as this is now by thee.
SOME
52 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
SOME PRINCIPLES
Guiding out of the Apostasy,
To the Christian Spirit and Life again.
I. r'r\UA'^ there is no Jahation hut by the trueknow-
X ^^^^^ ^f Chriji. The Jews had received the
ordinances of God, and knew of the Meffiah to come,
and believed it, and were very zealous in their wor-
ihip, in obfervation of circumcifion, the palfover, new
moons, and fabbaths, &c. (" Wherewith iha]\ Iponrie
" before the Lord, and bow myfcif before the! high
" God ?") and yet God complains of them by his
prophet, '* My people perifli for lack of knowledge."
And the ftate is the fame under the antichriftian apof-
tafy, wherein the whore hath made all nationsj kin-
dreds, tongues, and languages drunk with the cup of
her fornication. The true knowledge and vorlhip
have been loft; though the eyes of them that have
been in the apoftafy, and drunk with the cup, could
not fee it, no more than the Jews could ia their day.
But to come clofe to the thing.
The knowledge of Chrift is not literal, traditional,
or flefhly, nor can it be received by the naturd un-
derftanding; but it is fpiritual, and the underftanding
muft be given by God which receives it. " He hath
''given us an underftanding, that we may know hira
*' that is true." i John v. 20. A man may read
fcriptures, hear fermons, &c. and thereby gather a
knowledge into the old underftanding : but neither
this underftanding into which the knowledge is ga-
thered, nor the knowledge itfelf which is gathered, is
fpiritual, but fleftily, and fo cannot fave. He that
comes once to receive an underftanding from Cirift,
and to have the knowledge of Chrift poured forth
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. ^J
from Chrift into his heart, knows the difference be-
tween that and the underftanding into which he gathers
things. The knowledge of Chrift after the letter
(and a faith in him anfwerable to fuch knowledge)
will not fave : but a man muft know him in that Spi-
rit, life, and power wherein he lived, if he groundedly
hope to be faved by him, 2 Cor. v. 16, 17.
2. Thai Chrifijaves by the new covenant: not by any
thing got into the mind by the oldnefs of the letter;
but by a life begotten, which is new. There are two
covenants made mention of in fcripture, one whereof
is called the old, the other the new. The old be-
longed to the Jews, which is done away, with their
ceremonies, ftate, and polity. The new, which is
better than the former, Chrift is the Mediator of, Heh.
viii. 6. By mediating between God and the creature,
or by bringing them together irt, and according to,
this covenant, he faves. Man, by his difunion and
diftance from God, periftieth : by being brought again
to God, he lives again ; which thing Chrift eiFefteth
by the new covenant. So then he that is not led by
Chrift into that covenant, is not in the ftate of falva-
tion.
3. That the new covenant is written in the hearty or
there is no other way of coming into the new covenant,
whereof Chrift is High-prieft and Mediator, but by
having the laws of God written in the heart. '^ This
** is the covenant, &c. I will put my laws into their
<* minds, and write them in their hearts, &c. They
** fhall not teach every man his neighbour, and every
** man his brother, faying, know the Lord : for all
" Ihall know me, from the leaft to the greateft.''
Heb. viii. 10. n. He is fpeaking of the covenant
whereof Chrift is Mediator, ver. 6. which he calls anew
covenant, ver. 8. and faith it is not like the old, ver. 9.
inftancing in two main particulars, wherein it is very
unlike, i. The old was written outwardly in letters,
to be read by the outward eye ; but this is written
inwardly in the heart and mind, and fo can only be
read by a fpiritual eye. 2. Under the old they needed
teach-
54 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
teaching from men ; the prieft's lips were to preferve
knowledge, and they were to feek the law at his
mouths but now they fhould have the law fo near
them, fo clearly written in them, that they fliould
need none to teach them. From the law is the know-
ledge of God 5 the law is in the heart ; and from the
law in the heart fprings up the knowledge of God in
the leafb and in the greateft that are within this cove-
nant, that they need not fay, Know the Lord. This
is the date of the new covenant, which the Chriftians
came to in thefe days, i John ii. 27. But it hath
been a ftrange thing in this dark niglu of apoftafy,
and is yet a ftrange thing to many. But let fuch con-
fider. Can a man be a Chriftian, and be out of that
covenant whereof Chrift is. the Mediator? Can a man
be brought back again to God by Chrift, and yet be
out of that covenant whereby Chrift brings back men
to God ? O how hath Satan deluded poor fouls in this
thick night of darknefs, to make men believe they
have faith in Chrift, and ftiall be faved thereby; while
they are quite ignorant of, and ftrangers to, that co-
venant whereby Chrift the Mediator faves. " They
«« fhall all know me, from the leaft to the greateft."
Mark : there is not the leaft in this covenant but hath
the law fo written in his heart, that he need not feek
out for knowledge.
4. 'That the Spirit of God alone can write the covenant
in the heart; or that Chrift writes the covenant by his
Spirit. Man, by all his wifdom, cannot attain it.
Man is driven out from God, and cannot find the
way back again to him, without the teachings and
leadings of God's own Spirit. It is not the being
educated in any way of religion from one's childhood,
or the leaving of that, and running into any feft af-
terwards, that will avail any thing hereto •, but the
alone hearkening to the true voice of the true Spirit.
It is written in the prophets concerning the children
of this covenant, that they fliall be all taught of God:
•* And all thy children ftiall be taught of the Lord."
It is the Lord alone, who by his Spirit teacheth them
tb
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. ^^
to come to Chrift, and to receive the new covenant
into their hearts from Chrift : for man is in an incapa-
city to know or receive Chrift, or his covenant, until
the Spirit hath fitted and taught him, John xiv. 17.
But when he hath prepared and fitted his heart, then
with his own finger he writeth the pure law of the na-
ture and life of Chrift therein ; by the receipt whereof
he cometh out of his own dark fpirit and nature into
the true knowledge of God, and union with him. " I
*' will put my Spirit within you," Ezek. xxxvi. 27,
This is part of the covenant, and indeed that part
whereby all the reft is wrought.
5. Therefore, the firft proper Jie-p in religion, is to know
how to meet with God's Spirit. There is no progrefs,
no true progrefs, to be made in the true religion, till
a man comes into the covenant; and there is no com-
ing into the covenant but by the Spirit : therefore the
firft thing that is abfolutely neceflary to be known in
religion, is the Spirit, his writing, or at leaft his mo-
tions and ftirrings, in the heart. It may further be
evidenced thus : all things in religion, acceptable to
God, flow from the Spirit : all knowledge is to come
from him; for he alone hath revealed andean reveal
truth, and is appointed by Chrift to lead into all
truth. All worfhip is to be offered up in him : they
that worfhip the Father, muft worfhip him in the Spi-
rit and in the truth -, for the Father feeketh fuch to
worfhip him ; but rejecSteth all other worfhippers and
worfhip, how glorious ibever their worfhip may feem
to them : particularly praying is always to be in the
Spirit, Ephef. vi. 18. Jude 20. fo finging, &c. yea,
the whole life and converfation is to be in the Spirit,
Gal. V. 25. The mortifying of all corruption is to
be done by the Spirit. " If ye, through the Spirit,
" mortify the deeds of the body, ye Ihall live." Rom.
viii. 13. Indeed a Chriftian is nothing, and can do
nothing, without the power and prefence of the Spirit
of God in him. So then, if nothing in religion can
be done (with acceptance to God) without the Spirit,
then the Spirit is the firft thing to be looked after, by
him
S6 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
him who would be truly and well-groundedly reli-
gious.
6. T'he firfi way of meeting with the Spirit of Gody is
as a convincer of ftn. Here is the true entrance; this
is the key that opens into life eternal ; he that can re-
ceive it, let him. It is not by foaring aloft into high
imaginations and forms of worihipj bur by coming
down to this low thing. This is the firft and molt
proper work of the Spirit of God toward fallen man,
whereby he makes way toward the writing of God's law
in the heart; namely, to convince of fin. And where
Ihould man look firft to meet with him, but in his firft
work upon him ? When Chrift promifed the Comfort-
er, the Spirit of truth, he faid this concerning him»
" that he ihould convince the world of fin." John
xvi. 8. They who are created a-new in Chrift, and
become his difciples, receive comfort from the Spirit ;
but what is he to the world ? Or how may they feel
any operation of him ? Why he is to them a convincer
of fin, and they may find him checking them for, and
convincing them of, their fins. So that the great
work for man, while he lies in the darknefs (for when
he is tranflated into light he will be eafy) is to dif-
tinguifti the movings and ftirrings of the Spirit of
God. And this is the beft way for man in this ftate
to know them by : that which difcovers that which is
evil, THAT is good. That which difcovers that which
is fpiritually evil, that muft needs be fpiritually good j
for evil is darknefs, and cannot make itfelf manifeft.
That which difcovers that which is undoubtedly pure,
and inclines to it, that muft needs be of God. Now
to know this, and be joined unto it, is a joining of
the creature unto God, by fomewhat of him that comes
from his Spirit, and fo is a true beginning of life
eternal.
7. '^hat whereby the Spirit of God convince th of ftn, is
his light fhining in the confcience. Fallen man is dark-
nefs ; the light ftiines in the darknefs, and ftiews man
the evil, which otherwife would lie covered in him.
Man fell from God, loft the image of God, and be-
cathe
ItADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 57
came wliolly darknefs ; but the Spirit of God is light,
and fhints in the darknefs, and ftrives with man to
reduce hm back again to that light from which he
fell. ** God, who commanded the light to ihine out
*' of darcnefs, hath Ihined in our hearts, to give the
" light of the knowledge of the glory of God," &c.
2 Cor. i\. 6. Where did the apoltles and Chriftians
in thofe days meet with the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in Chrift ? God fliined in their
hearts. He that made the light to lliine out of the
dark de^^p. Gen. i. 2. by his Spirit, he by the fame
Spirit made the light of the knowledge of life Hiine in
their dark hearts-, and there it is alfo that the work of
convidion is wrought by the fame Spirit. He that
perfects :he good work in the heart, the fame is he that
begins it there ; and his beginning is, by reprovino-
and convincing of fin, and fo turning the heart from
it unto God, and unto the obedience of that rio-hc-
eoufnefs which he makes manifefl. And he that
meeteth not with the Spirit in the beginning of his
work, or flinketh back, and goeth not on with him,
but fmothereth his reproofs, not forbearing that, or
parting with that for which he is reproved, is never
like to meet with him in the end. And then it will
be tc|p late for him to blame that religion wherein
there was only a dead form, but not the living power
of God. He that will come to life eternal, muft be
tranflated out of his dead underftanding, and all his
dead ways and worfliips, which pleafe that underftand-
ing, into a living principle, and keep in that princi-
ple ; and then he Ihall know life indeed, and the true
food of that life, and the true worfhip and fervice from
that life, and the reward belonging to all.
8. That this light convincing of fm, Jhineth in every
confcience. " He hath ftiewed thee, O man, what is
*' good." Micah vi. 8. « The life," which was in
Chrift, was '« the light of men." John i. 4. Chrift
is '' the light of the world." John viii. 12. God,
as he loved the world, fo he manifefted his love to the
world, by fending his light into it, to enlighten every
man
58 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
man that cometh into the world, that with the light
they may fee his Son -, and as many as receive him,
to them he gives power to become the fonsof God.
As God would have " all men to be faved, 2nd come
<f to the knowledge of the truth j" fo he hith given
that light to all, which may bring to the krowledge
of the truth which faveth. He is " the trae light,
*' which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the
" world." John i. 9. " The grace of Goc, which
*' bringeth falvation, hath appeared unto all men,"
&c. As the enemy got poiTefllon of ever^r man's
heart, by filling it with darknefs ; fo Chrift purfueth,
and feeketh to difpoflefs the enemy, by the light which
he fendeth after him into every man. And this is the
condemnation of man : not that he wants a light to
witnefs againil, and draw him from the enemy; but
that he loves the enemy, and chufeth to be one with
the enemy; but hates light, and turns from it, John
iii. 10, ao. He hearkens to the reafonings of his
mind againfl the light, and fo fmothers and chokes
it; but does not turn to the light, to have all the
reafonings of his mind fubdued by it, and fubjefled
to it.
9. The true way to life eternaly is by helievijtg in the
light of the Spirity which Jhineth in the confcience. Man
is in darknefs, which keeps him in death ; and there
is no way to come out of the death, but by coming
out of the darknefs; and there is no way to come out
of the darknefs, but by following that light which dif-
covers it, and calls forth from it ; and he that doth
follow that, cannot remain in the darknefs, but muft
needs come out. There is an evil principle in man,
calling for evil ; and there is a good principle calling
from the evil to the good : now he that followeth the
good, cannot follow the evil, but departs from it,
<< I am the light of the world (faith Chrift) ; he that
*« followeth me fhall not walk in darknefs, but Ihall
*f have the light of life." John viii. 12. But this
is that which undoes man ; he loves the darknefs, he
loves the world, the courfe of the world, the worfhips
of
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. ^g
of the world : he loves his own underftanding, and his
own willj and fo hates that light which crofTeth thefe,
and which would teach him, by the denial of them,
to crucify that nature from whence they fpring, and
to which they are fuitable. And from hence it comes
to pafs (the love to fin within being ilrong, and Sa-
tan, the ftrong man, keeping the houfe) that the mo-
tions of God's Spirit are eafily overborne, either by
reafonings of the underftanding, or by perverfenefs of
the will : but if any man durft truft himfelf to them,
he would quickly find of what nature they were, by
the ftrong oppofition of the ftrong man againft them.
It is indeed a ftrait and narrow way, into which no
flefti can enter and walk ; and yet it is the only way :
for there is no life in God, no peace with God, while
the enemy lives in the heart. But when the light is
received and turned to, then the power begins to
work, which flays the enemy in the heart ; and that
being done, there is no more war, but peace. Then
the true peace, which paflTeth underftanding, fills and
refrefties the heart; whereas the peace which was in
the foul before, was but the peace of the enemy, and
will abide no longer than the enemy is fufFered to keep
pofTefTion quietly.
lo. Thai believi?ig in the light of the Spirit^ which
Jhines in the confcience^ unites the foul to God, and opens
thefprings of life to it. Belief in darknefs (which is
unbelief towards God) difunited the foul, and doled
up the fprings of life from it. Belief in the light,
which is fent to lead from the darknefs, unites again,
and opens the fprings again. God is light ; he dwells
in the light, and there enjoys the fulnefs of life : and
he gives a meafure of his own light to draw from the
darknefs : and he who believes and follows this, is led
by it unto God, from whom it came : and being come
out of the darknefs unto him, he begins again to feel
the fprings of life, the frefh fprings of life, which are
in him. He that believeth is come to the well of fal-
vation, and draws living water out of it, and drinks
of the living water continually, fo that he can thirft
V«i. I. I no
6o The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
no more •, yea, " out of his belly flow rivers of living
" water." This is the fruit of the true faith j but
this is not the fruit of the faith of the apoftafy -, but
there the foul remains ft ill difunited^ to God, and
united to the darknefs, and drinks otft of the living
ftueams, but drinks dead water. The fountain of
pure life is not open to it-, but the fountain of ini-
quity : and that blood which cleanfeth and taketh
away the fin is not known. There is only a dream of
thefe things in the dark night of apoftafy ; by which
dream the confcience is a little quieted for the prefent;
but when the witnefs awakes, and the light of the day
fhines, the foul, which is lean, will find itfelf in the
hands of the enemy, in the bonds of fin, and feel that
it never knew that power that could redeem it; but
the fubtle ferpent deceived it with a name^ inftead of
the thing.
This is the true way, the narrow way (I can, in the
prefence of the living God, fet my feal to the truth of
it) which it hath pleafed God to difcover, and make
manifeft again, after the long dark night of apoftafy.
And we come not to it by hearing or receiving any
new notions or apprehenfions of things ; but by feel-
ing that which puts an end to all creaturely notions
and apprehenfions ; and we grow in it by the increafe
of that thing in us. The feed to which the promife
was made ; the feed which was before Abraham was,
is felt, and his day is feen and rejoiced in ; and by the
light thereof the darknefs is difcovered, and the king-
dom of darknefs is afTaulted. And as it daily falls in
many particulars, fo it fliall at length fall in the gene-
ral ; and the kingdoms of this world fhall become the
kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Chrift i and he
Ihall reign upon the earth, where fin and antichrifl:
have long reigned, and kept him down. And though
there be a great rage and outcry among the people
and heathenifh profeflbrs, yet the decree is gone forth,
and Sion's king fliall reign in the holy hill of $ion,
and the hills and mountains fhall melt before him, ancL
the earth fhall fhake round about him.
There-.
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. ^I
Therefore gather yourfelves together, muller up
your ftrong forces, O ye feveral forts of carnal profef-
ibrs. Let all your differences one againft another fail,
and join together againft him who is againft you all.
Improve the ferpent's wifdom, and form arguments
out of the fcripture thereby with the utmoft Ikill and
underftanding of fleftij get the kings, rulers, and
magiftrates of the earth on your fide too; handle all
the weapons of the flefh fkilfully ; difpute, reproach,
revile, whip, ftock, imprifon, ftarve, nay, put to
death. See if you can uphold your kingdom ; for
there is a -mighty one come forth againft you, who
will take the vineyard, the kingdom, the inheritance
from you, and give it to another-, and on you fhall
come that death and darknefs, that mifery and deftruc-
tion which ye have put far from you, and flighted as
the portion of others. Therefore confider your con-
dition in the fear of the Lord; and if you feel not
yourfelves able to fight it out, make your peace be-
times, and let your greateft crowns (your choiceft
wifdom and ftrength in the fiefn) be laid down at the
feet of Chrift, at the loweft appearance of his light in
the confcience. Let not the leaft check of his Spirit
be flighted there; but efteemed above the higheft no-
tions of light that ye have gathered in, or can gather
with your flefhly underftandings. And indeed it is no
lefs than its due : for this which runs frefli from the
3pirit is more living in itfelf, and more proper to that
man's prefent eftate to whom it comes, than whatever
he himfeif by his underftanding can gather from the
letter.
There hath been a precious feed of God long ftir-
ring in this nation; but it hath been oppreflTed, and
kept in bondage, by the fpirit of Pharaoh and his
wife Egyptians, who would fubjed it to their laws
and worihips, and not let Ifrael go out of Egypt at
God's call, to worfliip him in Spirit and truth; but
would keep him in forms and ways of man's invention.
The Lord hath poured out his plagues upon this fpi-
rit, and more and more "wrought out the liberty of
I 2, his
62 The WAY or LIFE and DEATH
his people : but as the plagues ceafe, this fpirit har-
dens itfelf, and efTays the reducing of Ifrael into bon-
dage again. And as Pharaoh renews the bondage of
Ifrael, fo God renews the plagues on Pharaoh and his
Egyptians. Pharaoh hath a flubborn will, and a great
wifdom and power, and is loth to let Ifrael go j but
the Lord alfo is wife and (Irong, and hath a will more
righteous than Pharaoh's ; and by his wifdom and
ftrength will he effeft his will, and Pharaoh's fhall not
Hand.
Who is fuch a ftranger in Ifrael that hath not ob-
ferved, that as God began to raife up the feed in this
nation, and call it into liberty, fo the fpirit of the
wife Egyptians rofe up againft it, exclaiming of er-
ror, herefy, blafphemy, new ways, new lights, &c. ?
And doubtlefs many tares have fprung up j but the
aim of the enemy was not fo much to pluck up thefe
tares, as to deftroy the one good feed of wheat. He-
rod did not aim at killing all the infants in Bethle-
hem •, but he would rather kill them all, than have
Chrift live. What preaching on the one hand ! what
running to the magiftrate on the other hand ! and all
to deftroy this young babe. When any different way
of worlhip did appear, as of Independency, Anabap-
tifm, or of feeking and waiting for the truth, how
did they make an head againft them, and cry out
againft them, for fear the young child fliould be born
and appear there ! And now they fee their own image
brought forth there, they are at peace with them.
And having difcovered that where no part of the image
or mark can be received, but there is another nature
in life and truth brought forth, and no form without
life will go down i now they know where to ftioot all
their darts i now they know againft whom to invent
and fpeak all manner of evil, and againft whom to
dired all their envy, rage, and outcries, and to pre-
poflefs all forts of perfons every where with all man-
ner of prejudices, that the truth may not fpread any
where, but be oppofed every where. And all perfons
minds are now fo filled before-hand with the venom
of
I
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 6;^
of the ferpent, that truth cannot come any where,
but it finds the ennnity already ftirred up, and pre-
pared to withftand it.
This is a new way, a new light, fays one ; we knew
a religion before this came up, and we will keep to
that, let who will run after thefe new fects and ways.
A natural light, the old light of nature, faith another,
or the corrupted light of Adam, which hath run along
through all his pofterity. Another outcry is, that it
makes the fcriptures void and ufelefs. Others cry
out, that it teacheth things contrary to the fcripturesj
that it fets up free-will ; that it leads to a covenant
of works -, that it breaks down relations, laws, go-
vernments ; takes away due refpeft from magiftracy
and fuperiors, and turns the world upfide down. Thus
the worldly fpirit is every where up in arms, and a
zeal kindled every where to keep it out of every heart,
and out of every place and country.
Now thefe are not real things •, but fuch kind of
flanders and reproaches as always have attended truth.
The prophets of God, Chrift, and his apoilles, though
they have been fpoken well of afterwards, yet they
have ever been hated, fpoken ill of, and perfecuted.
by the generation of profefibrs of their age. The
Scribes and Pharifees could not with fo great advan-
tage have perfecuted Chrift and his apoftles, without
a feeming zeal for the law and prophets ; and yet it
was the fame fpirit that fo vehemently cried up the
law, the prophets, the ordinances of Mofes, that per-
fecuted the Spirit and life in Chri(t and his apoilles,
from whence the law, the prophets, and ordinances
came. And thus it is at this day; though that fpirit
is as blind now as it was then, and cannot fee through
its own cover ; though it be as weak and narrow as
theirs was. The guilty chargeth the innocent, that it
might hide its own guilt, and keep its covering. The
guilty Jews, and the guilty Scribes and Pharifees,
charged the prophets, Chrift, and his apoftles, that
they might not be found guilty by them, and have
their formal covering rent from them. And thus it is
I 3 at
64 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
at this day ; truth is rifen to make manifell mens falfe
coverings, and the guilt and hypocnfy that lie hid
underneath. Now to fave themlelves, they are pre-
pared beforehand to lay that charge againft truth,
which truth hath againft them.
Search thine heart, refift not the light, thou that
haft charged the truth with any of thefe things, and
thou wilt find it thine own condition. The truth is no
new light, or new way; and they that hold it forth,
do not hold forth any new way, or new light; but it
is thou that haft left the good old light, the good old
way, which was before the apoftafy, and haft fallen
in with fome new light, fome new way, invented and
fet up fince the apoftafy. It is thou again that fetteft
up the natural light, the fallen wifdom, the wifdom
which is out of the life, and in enmity with the life;
with this thou feedeft that underftanding which is to
be brought to nought -, and when thou haft done this
thyfelf, then thou calleft the fpiritual light, wherewith
God hath purfued it in all ages, a natural light. It is
thou that with this wifdom fearching into the fcrip-
tures, and gathering the oldnefs of the letter into the
old underftanding, makeft the fcriptures void and ufe-
lefs to thy foul, and canft not meet with that life and
power which they fpeak of; but art ftill alive in thy fins,
and dead unto God ; and then thou crieft out againft that
which comes to difcover this to thee, and to bring thee
put of the dead knowledge into the life of the fcriptures;
thou crieft out againft this, as if this made the fcriptures
ufelefs. And when thou haft fet up a whole body of
knowledge, religion, and worftiip, quite contrary to the
fcriptures, which the truth comes to make manifeft, then
Cain's nature rifeth up in thee, and thou takeft up Cain's
weapons, and fain wouldft thou kill thy brother, be-
caufe his facrifice in the faith teftifies againft thine,
which is out of the faith, and contrary to the true tef-
timony of the fcriptures. Again ; for free-will and a
covenant of works, thou haft fet up a religion in the
old will and works ; not according to the new cove-
nant of life, but according to the old covenant of
death. And by this thou preacheft that will to be
free.
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 6$
free, which is in bonds ; and fetteft up the works of
man's righteoufnefs, and conformity to the letter, for
the works of the new covenant. And for governments
and laws, that which is according to God, which is a
terror to the evil, and 3. praife to them that do well ;
that which is liberty to the juft, and a curb to the un-
juft ; this thou art againft, and criefl out daily for the
turning of the magiftrate's fword againft the innocent,
becaufe they are a light to difcover thy deeds of dark-
nefs, which are out of the light, and difturb thy peace
and thy fettlement in that which is flcfhly, and of man,
and not of God. So for relations, and honour to
magiftratesj the tranfgrefUng nature hath brought up
a wrong thing, a flefhly thing, an honour and a duty
which is of the flefh, and pleafeth the flefli, and is not
according to God. And this is not honour indeed j
not an honour that will ftand ; not an honour that will
be juftified in the fight of God; but it is a fliame to
them that give it, and a fhame to them that receive
it i difcovering that they are fervants to the flefh, giv-
ing to and receiving from the fleftily part that which
the fleflily part (which crucifies the life) calls for, and
is pleafed with.
All that the light doth to thefe things, is to difco-
ver and condemn them : and the end of its difcovery
is, that they might be removed, and truth and righte-
oufnefs brought in the ftead of them. But man's
evil heart, which is the caufe of them, cries out
againft the light, as if the light brought them.
."Whereas if man could be quiet and ftill, and fufi^er
the work "of the light upon him, he would find that
the fame light which difcovtreth them, would alfo
purge thern away, and leave neither root nor branch
of iniquity, either in men's hearts, or in relations, or
families, or towns, or cities, or laws, or governments i
and there would be no want of honour. Now though
the fcrpent's wifdom is irreconcileable, and that un-
derftanding which ftands there cannot be fatisfied, but
muft be confounded and brought to nought, i Cor,
i. 19. yet becaufe underneath all this there is a fim-
plicity in feme, which is betrayed j for the relief of
I 4 that,
66 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
that, fomewhat further may be fpoken in anfwer to
thefe things.
Objeft. I. To the firfl: obje(5lion, that this is a new
way, or new light, I anfwer:
Anfw. It is new indeed to them who have lain long
in the apoftafy, and fet up another light ; but it is not
new in itfelf, but the fame that was in the beginning •,
yea, and before the beginning alfo. Clirift was the
fame yefterday, to-day, and for ever; and the light
that comes from him is like him j that alfo is the fame
yefterday, to-day, and for ever. It was the fame un-
der the law, the fame before the law, the fame fince
the law. As the darknefs all along hath been the fame,
fo the light all along hath been the fame alfo. It
was the fame in the Jews, and the fame in the Gen-
tiles. It was this God expelled obedience to from
the Jews ; and the prophet (in the name of the Lord)
difdains their facrifices, and brings them to this ; Mi-
cah vi. 8. " He hath fhewed thee, O man, what is
«' good. And what doth the Lord require of thee,
** but to do juftly, and to love mercy, and to walk
" humbly with thy God ?" Their eye was upon fa-
crifices and oil ; but the prophet points them to that
which would bring them to the right facrifice, and to
the true oil. And the Gentiles, fo far as they were
obedient to this, were accepted, and excufed in their
own confciences ; the faithful witnefs whereof is of
God, and will ftand in the day of Chrift. Rom. ii.
15, 16. " That which was from the beginning," faith
the apoftle John, " declare we unto you." i John
i. I. And " this is the mefTage which we have heard
" of him, and declare unto you, that God is light,
** and in him is no darknefs at all." Verfe 5. And
the end of preaching this meffage, is to draw out of
the darknefs into the light ; to bring men to the feel-
ing of the light of God in them, and fo to union
with it ; which being turned to, draws out of the
darknefs. God, who is light, is nigh to every man,
who is darknefs; though man's fenfe is very thick, and
can hardly fee or feel him. And a light from him
fhines
I
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN, Sj
iliines in man's darknefsj but man's darknefs compre-
hends it not. So that this light is not new in itfelf,
but only new to the old fpirit, which hath long lain
hid in the region of darknefs and death, and hath not
known the lig-ht of life.
O
Objeit. 2. That this is a natural light, or the light
of old Adam's nature.
Anfw. It is in one fenfe a natural light; it is of the
nature of him from whom it comes ; of the nature of
God, and of his Chrift, whom it appears for : but it
is not of the nature of corrupt Adam, whom it always
reproved, and againft whom it ftill ftands a witnefs,
and condemns all corruption. Man is darknefs ; and
when Chrift comes to redeem him, he finds him dark-
nefs : and Chrift finds no light in him to help him to
difcover fin to him; but all the difcoveries of fin that
are made in the heart, are by the light of Chrift, and
not by any light of man's nature. The Lord is the
fearcher of the heart, and he fearcheth it with his
own candle, and not with any left in man's nature.
Man fell into darknefs, and knew not where he was;
but the Lord cometh after him with his candle, and
difcovereth his ftate to him. It is the lio;ht from
which man fell, and againft which he fins, that is
alone able to make his difobedience manifcft to him.
" We know" faith the apoftle, *' that the law is fpi-
" ritual; but I am carnal." Rom. vii. 14. The law
is the loweft part of the light; and yet that is fpiri-
tual, and of Chrift's nature, and not of Adam's na-
ture ; " we know it," faith the apoftle. Such as
know the nature of that which manifefts fin, know it
to be fpiritual. It is the fallen man from the light,
the man in the darknefs, that calls the light darknefs:
but that which difcovers the darknefs, and reproves
the darknefs, and wars againft the darknefs, is not
darknefs, but the light of life. And thofe who are
fpiritual, and feel the nature and power of it in their
fpirits, know it to be fo. But man hath fet up a light
of his own ; hath raifed up a light by his ftudy and
invention, in the ftrength of the fallen wifdom : and
now
68 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
ROW fetting up this for light, he miift needs call the
true light darknefs, as the Pharilees did Chrift.
Objeft. 3. That it makes the fcriptures void and
tjfelefs.
Anfw. It came from the Spirit that gave forth the
fcriptures •, it is of the fame nature with the light that
fhone in them that gave forth fcriptures ; it fpeaks the
fame thing with fcriptures, it leads to the fame thing,
and it opens and witneflTes to the words which the
fcriptures fpeak ; and fo it brings the fcriptures, which
have been long abufed, into their true ufe. Indeed it
puts an end to the corrupt ufe of fcriptures, to man's
inventing and forming things out of them, and brings
them into their true ufe and fervice. It takes the
fcriptures out of man's hand, who hath (lain the life
by them, and puts them into the hands of the Spirit,
who makes the words again pure, and quick, and
living; purging away man's defiled and dead conceiv-
ings and interpretations of them.
A man muit know the Spirit, come to the Spirit,
be joined to, and be in union with the Spirit, before
he can have the true underilanding of the fcriptures.
The fcriptures of truth are the words of God, or va-
rious expreffions of his mind ; which he that fearcheth
into, before he hath his Spirit, cannot know : and fo
man, in this itate, can only guefs and imagine at
things, but cannot fee the truth. And from hence it
is that fo many fe6ls and heaps are fprung up in the
world, according to the variety of their imaginations.
One fort of men cry, This is the way, this is the truth,
this is the church, this is the worfhip. Another fort
cry. This is not it; that is fuperftition and error; but
this is it : and fo a third and fourth. Sec. So about
fcriptures, one faith this is the meaning ; another faith
it is not fo, but this is the meaning. The Papifts fay,
the church muft judge of the meaning of fcriptures ;
and the Proreflants, who take more fcope, hov/ do
they doubt and differ, and oppofe one another, about
the interpretation of fcriptures ! Which plainly fhews
that they do not plow with the right heifer ; for then
there
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 69
there would be unity and certainty. They let their
own reafonings and imaginations loofe, and there is no
foundation of certainty. But had they waited for the
Spirit to begin with, and gone on no farther than he
opened to them, all thefe doubts and diffentions would
have been choked in the birth, or womb, or not have
come fo far as either birth or womb. Yet do I not
altogether deny the reading of fcriptures, even in this
ftate, if man read with fear and trembling: not fet-
ting up his own underftanding, or the underftanding
of any man elk ; but waiting for the Spirit, which
can alone give him an underftanding to receive the
true knowledge. But this I dare boldly affirm, that
mens reading of the fcriptures in their own wifdom
and felf-confidence (or confidence of what interpreta-
tion others have given) doth them no good at all, but
much harm, tending to the building up of that which
God will again deftroy. But he that begins with the
Spirit of God, giving himfelf up to that light which
comes from him, comes to true union with God, and
to the feeling of his life, and fo to a true growth and
knowledge of the Spirit of God, whereby he comes to
know and underftand the fcriptures, which came from
the fame Spirit; and hereby alfo he comes to be able
to meafure the deceit of his own fpirit, which for-
merly led him afide, and alfo to fee and meafure the
fpirits of deceivers. But he that is in the deceit, in
the imagination, out of the true knowledge, he can-
not know the deceit of his own fpirit, or the fpirits of
deceivers J but calls the truth deceit, and the deceit
truth.
Obje6l. 4. That this light teaches things contrary to
the fcriptures.
Anfw. That light which comes from tlie fame Spi-
rit which the fcriptures came froin, cannot teach things
contrary to the fcriptures. But man, who hath took
the tools of his underftanding, and formed images and
likenefles out of the fcriptures (I mean invented mean-
ings and fenfes, and judged thefe agreeable to the
fcriptures) he muft needs judge that which is contrary
to
70 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
to thefe, as contrary to the fcriptures; whereas the
truth is one in iifelf, and agreeth with whatfoever is
true in this age, or in former ages ; and differs only
from that which is not true. And v/e know that there
is that true unity with that Spirit from which the fcrip-
tures came, and with the fcriptures, and with one an-
other, in that light which the wifdom of man cannot
but defpife, as hath not been in any age fince the apof-
tafy until now.
Objeft. 5. That this fets up free-will. When per-
fons are exhorted to embrace the light, to let in the
light, and told that condemnation comes for not be-
lieving or receiving the light, then they cry out. Can
man believe ? Can man receive the light ? Hath man
free-will ^
Anfw. The will of man is bound; but there is li-
berty, pov.'-er, and freedom in the light which vifits
man, and comes to unbind and fave him. And man
feels this power, taftes of this liberty, feels fomewhat
difengaging him from the evil, and drawing him from
it : but he being in love "with the evil, draws back
from the drawing, fhutting his ears againft the wifdom
of the light, and opening his ears to the reafonings of
the ferpent -, and then the liberty and power which was
in the light, withdraw with the light, and the bonds
are ftrengthened upon him. And this is the condem-
nation ; not that there was a want of power from God,
but that he chofe the power of ihe enemy, not loving
the light, wherein the power of life lay. God knows
the ftate of man in the fall, and knows the ftrength of
the enemy j and the Saviour that he fends hath fuffi-
cient power againft him; and the light that the Sa-
viour fends is ftronger than the darknefs, and can
overcome the darknefs, and cannot be overcome by
the darknefs. And if thou join with the darknefs,
and wilt not yield to the drawings of the Father, but
yield up thyfelf to the drawings and reafonings of the
darknefs ; yet the ftrength of the light remains in it-
felf. And though for the prefent thou haft ftruck it
down and flain its yet it will rife up a ftrong and
living
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 7I
living witnefs againft thee, and die darknefs to which
thou haft joined. When a man goes from the light,
he goes into the will voluntarily; then takes and
choofes in the flefh. "When a man follows the light,
the will of the flefh dietii in him, another will rileth
up, and choofeth for him. There is the true li-
berty.
But as for your fpeaking of free-will, ye do not
know what ye fpeak of: for the will, with the freedom
of it, either ftands in the image and power of him
that made it, or in a contrary image and power.
While it is in the image and power of him that made
it, it is free unto good, and not to evil •, while it is in
the image and power of him who corrupted it, it is
free unto evil, and not to good. The will is not of
itfelf, but ftands in another, and is fervant to that in
whom it ftands, and there its freedom is bound and
comprehended. For there is no middle ftate between
both, wherein the will ftands of itfelf, and is free to
both equally ; but it is a fervant, and under the com-
mand, of one of thefe powers. If it be under the
command of fin, of the power of darknefs, it is free
from righteoufnels •, and if it be under the command
and power of righteoufnefs, it is free from fin j but
fuch a free-will as men commonly fpeak of, is mere
imagination, and hath no foundation in the true ftate
of things.
And this may anfwer another objection, which lies
as a great block in the way of many, who feel a con-
vidlion, but are withheld from obedience, under a
pretence of wanting power j whereas the power lies in
that light which convinceth, and is received in the
obedience, and in the crofs. As the power of the
enemy creeps in, in hearkening to him -, fo the power
of truth is received in hearkening to, and receiving
the reproofs of truth. That which checks the evil,
that which ftands ac^ainft the mind, fmiting it in its
courle of vanity and pleafure in the fallen ftate, in
that is the power. That comes from the power, goes
forth in the power, and the power is in it, and cannot
be
72 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
be fevered from it. So he that lets that in, lets in
the power; and he that fhuts that cut, fhuts out the
power. And in this Hate a man may complain all his
days for want of power, and not meet with it : for
how can he, when he refufeth it in the way wherein
the power feeks him, and waits for it in a way where-
in it is not to be found ? The appearance of the power
at firft is fmall, and contemptible to the eye of the
fieflily wifdomi and it is not received in any fuch
great overpowering way (though that alfo is known
afterward) as man is apt to expedt ; but all lies in one
little feed, where the day of fmall things is known.
The light, the life, the power, the purity, the wifdom,
&c. lies hid there ; and in receiving that little thing,
all is received ; and in the growth of that, all grows
up. But by being tempted by the enemy to negle6t
this, and wait for fome great power and appearance
of God, the foul is held in the bonds of iniquity,
and kept from the life, as ilrongly as by the groffetl
form.
Objeft. 6. That this fets up a covenant of works;
for a man is bid to do, bid to obey the light; and
when he does, when he obeys, he has peace ; and when
he obeys not, he has not peace.
Anfw. This fets not up the works of the law; but
it leads through the works of the law to the righteouf-
nefs of faith. " When the commandment came, fin
" revived, and I died." Rom. vii. The apoftle was
alive in his worfhip and Jewilli Hate, till the law came:
but when the law came, it flew that life that he had
there, and he became dead, both to that life by which
he lived before, and to the law that flew him ; and
then there arofe up a life in him which anfwered the
law, and could fulfil it, and lead to a righteoufnefs
beyond it : and then his life and righteoufnefs were
not any works of the law, but of faith, and in the
faith, Gal. ii. 19, 20. But yet there is no palTing to
this, but through the adminiftration of the law in the
heart, in the hand of the Mediator. And when the
life is rifen and received, yet even then there is no
peace
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE ^EN. 73
peace but in the obedience to the life. The peace
lives in that which brings the peace; and if there be
a departing from that, there is a departing from the
peace. Any fieflily thought, any flefhly motion, as ic
is out of the life, fo it is out of the peace j and the
mind joining to it, feels the death and trouble of it.
Thus faid the apollle, Gal. vi. 15, 16. *^ Neither cir-*
" cumcifion nor uncircumcifion availeth, but a new
** creature. And as many as walk according to this
" rule, peace be on them." The peace comes to
the new creature, and to man walking according to
the rule of the new creature : and the condemnation
is not to them that walk not after the fiefh, but after
the Spirit, Rom. viii. i. But if there be an heark-
ening to the flefh, and a fulfilling the unrighteoufnefs
thereof in any thing, God is righteous, and he cannot
fpeak peace to the wicked, or to him that joins with the
wicked. Therefore where there is true peace, there
muft be a coming from the wicked nature, and a liv-
ing out of the wicked nature, in him who is the life,
the righteoufnefs, the peace. 1 know there have been
curious fabricks in mens minds about the covenant
of grace ; but they have not known the nature of it,
and of the works that flow from it, and fo are apt to
call the works of the new life, fpringing from the co-
venant of life, the works of the old covenant. But
wifdom is juftified of her children, and they know
her birth : and in the true light the true nature of
things is feen, and the true name and defcription
given, which he that is out of the light cannot re-
ceive, but fhumbles at : and the wifer he is, in his own
devifed way and knowledge of things, the more ftum-
bling-blocks he has, and the more he ftum.bles.
Object. 7. and laft. That it breaks down relations,
laws, governments ; takes away due refpeifl from ma-
giftracy and fuperiors, and turns the world upfide-
down.
Anfw. Iniquity hath reigned, unrighteoufnefs hath
winded itielf into, and twilled about every thing.
And now the truth comes to difcover and purge out
the
74 THfi WAY OF LIFE and DEATH
the iniquity, the ftrong man, who hitherto hath kept
poflelTion of the houfe, cries out, as if the deftruc-
tion of the thing were aimed at. Nay, it is only the
evil that is aimed at; but the thing itfelf is not to be
deftroyed, but to be fee free from the evil, and pre-
ferved. Relations are good, laws are good, govern-
ments are good, of God ; but the unrighteoufnefs of
flefh, the pleafing of the fleih by the pretence of thefe,
the giving liberty to the unjuft, this is not good.
And is it not thus in relations, in government, in the
execution of laws ? If a man will be fiefhly, and walk
in them according to the ficfli, the law takes not hold
of him, his relations are not offended at him ; but if
he come once to feel the power of God, and -withdraw
from the evil, and ftand a witnefs for God againll it,
then relations, and powers of the earth, and laws, all
ftrike at him : and the reafon is, becaufe they are in
union with the evil, and fo cannot bear the rending
of the evil from the thing. And from hence it is,
that where-ever the gofpel comes in power, it kindles
a flame round about, letting father againft fon, and
fon againft father, hufband againft wife, and wife a-
gainft hufband, (sfc. Yea, it goes clofer than fo;
it fets one part in man againft another ; and the fight
is very bitter and ftiarp, till one of thefe be fubdued,
and then there is peace; fleftily peace, if the wife
fleftily part prevail ; fpiritual peace, if the weak fooU
ilh thing (to the world) in the heart, which is of
God, prevail.
And for honour to magiftrates and fuperiors, it is
not denied ; but flefhly honour, corrupt honour, ho-
nour from the fleftily part, and to the fleftily part, this
cannot but be denied by them which are of God.
That which is born of God, is not of this world, nor
can it give honour to that which is of this world ; but
it honours all men in the Lord. Whatever is of God
in magiftracy, it honours; whatever is in fuperiority
according to God (as a father, an huftiand, a mafter is)
it honours with true honour. Chrift, the only begot-
ten of God, could not receive honour of nrjen, nor
could
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 75
could he give honour to men : and he faith to the
Jews, How can ye believe, which receive honour one
of another, and feek not the honour that cometh from
God only ? The receiving of honour from man, can-
not ftand with the true faith (when ye know the faith,
ye will know it) : he that refpedteth perfons, com-
mittcth fin, and is a tranfgrelibr againft the law of
faith, which leads to the life, which Hands in God,
out of the world's honours^ worfliips, cuftoms, and
whatever elfe which is not of faith, but of the world.
Mordecai did not bow to Haman j nay, he fat in the
king's gate, where Haman was to pafs, and yet did
not (land up, move, or bow to him. What an affront
was this to that high, proud, lofty fpirit! and yet ic
was of the Lord. This was a type (as the Jewifli
Hate in general was typical) of what God would do
in the world, and is now doing. The Lord hath raif-
ed up Mordecai's nature, and he hath difcovered Ha-
man's nature, and hath given the command to Mor-
decai, that he fliould not bow to Haman. And if ye
could fearchyour hearts, ye would find, that it is not
that of God in you which is offended for want of that
which ye call honour ; but the Hamanifli fpirit, the
fiefhly pride and loftinefs, which the Lord will lay
low ; and he alone will be exalted in this day of his
mighty power; and man fhali only be honoured as he
comes from him, and as he is found in him : but the
honour which the flcfhly part hath fought and gained
in the tranfgreffion, fhali fall with the tranfgreflbr,
wliom the Lord hath furbiflied his fword to fmite.
And for turning the world upfide-down, it is ac-
knowledged: the power of the Lord is come forth tp
do it. That which is high, that which is wife, that
which is ftrong, that which is rich, that which is full,
that which is fat, the Lord will lay low, make foolifh,
weak, poor, empty, lean ; for it lies in wickednefs.
He will feed the fat and Ilrong cattle with that judg-
ment which (hall make them lean and weak. And the
humble, the foolifh, the weak, the poor, the empty,
the lean, he will raife up, and make wife, and ftrong,
VoL.L K and
76 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
and rich, and full, and fat, with the true honour,
the true wifdom, the true ftrength, the true riches,
the fure and living mercies of David j who fets his
feet on the top of the high places of the earth j of whom
Chrift came according to the flefh.
Thus I have in plainnefs of heart, and plainnefs of
fpeech, fet the truth and the error before you, and
lent my hand toward the removing of fome blocks
which lay in your way, in love and pity to your iouls.
Now if any, in the reading of this, feel a fecret touch
upon their hearts, ftartling them, and giving fome
tellimony to the truth, though very fmall, and through
a thick dark covering, there is that to which I fpeak ;
there is the witnefs within the veil ; and there is the
teftimony rifing up, which leads to life, if given heed
to. Keep to this, and this will prick and wound,
judge and condemn the contrary nature, though ever
fo ftrong. And when it doth prick and wound, keep
the wound frefh and open, as thou loved thy life,
till thou meet with the true healer. For the falfe
prophet will rife up in thee, and fill thee with rea-
fonings, and perhaps multitudes of promifes and com-
forts from fcripture, fkinning over the wound, and
crying Peace, peace, when there is no peace. And
when thou haft thus got over the trouble, then the
falfe prophet, which brought thee this peace, will ftir
thee up againft the witnefs, exalting the wifdom and
reafonings of the flefh, and making merry with thee
over the witnefs, which witnefTed againft thee and him,
and over the trouble which came thereby ; and this
will bring thee to that hardnefs of heart which is for
deftrudion. And when thou haft flain the witnefs in
thyfelf, and exalted thy flelhly reafon and underftand-
ing over it, then the falfe prophet which feduced thee
will kindle a zeal in thee againft the witnefs in others;
and thou wilt prove a perfecutor of the life, under the
name of deceit, error, herefy, and blafphemy j whereas
thou thyfelf art fallen into the deceit, into the error
from the life, and into the blafphemy againft it, and
art
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 77
art in Cain's nature, and wouldft fain be handling of
Cain's weapons to deftroy it.
Therefore take heed of the flefhiy wifdom ; take
heed of thine own underftanding ; take heed of thy
reafoning or difputing ; for thefe are the weapons
wherewith the witnefs is (lain. That wifdom mufl be
dellroyed, and that underftanding brought to nought,
and thou become a child, and learn as a child, if
ever thou know the things of Gad. " Where is the
" wife ? Where is the Scribe ? Where is the difputer
** of this world?" Did they ever, from the beginning
of the world to this day, attain the knowledge of the
things of God ? Where are the councils? Where are
the great convocations ? Where are the fynods ? Where
are the alTemblies of divines ? What is become of
them all ? What have they done ? Have they been
ever able to lead out of the apoftafy from the truth
into the truth again ? Nay : that wifdom is curfed ; it
is of the earth, and fixed in the earth, and is the
grand enemy to the wifdom that is from above : and
where that wifdom ftands, there is no entrance for the
other. This made it fo hard for this fort of per-
fons, in all ages, to own truth. Thy wifdom and
thy knowledge hath perverted thee. This made the
whorifh fpirit fo able to ufe forceries and inchant-
ments from the life in all ages. And it is eafier for
publicans, harlots, drunkards, fwearers, and all forts
of finners to own truth, and enter into life, than for
thefe. For it is eafier to empty them of their pro-
fanenefs, than it is to empty thefe of their fettled con-
ceited religion and devotion : and yet thefe, with
their religion and devotion, cannot enter, no more
than the other with their profanenefs. Ye have a
knowledge, a righteoufnefs, an hope, a faith, &c,
founded by your pretence to fcriptures. Who can
fhake down thefe, fay you ? And yet thefe mud fall,
before ye can build upon, and grow up in, the life
that the fcriptures came from. For the fcriptures
were not given for men to gather out of, and lay a
foundation of faith there, by their own wills ; but to
K 2 difcover
7a The way of LIFE and DEATH
difcover and teftify of the foundation. And he that
comes thither, and is built there, knows the truth ;
not becaufe the fcriptures fay fo, but becaufe he feels
the thing, is founded upon the thing, grows up iri
the thing, and the thing in him, whereof the fcrip-
ture fpeaks. And this knowledge fhall abide, and
this faith, and this righteoufnefs, and this holinefs,
and this redemption ; whereas the other is but a name,
put upon that which is not the thing.
Thefe are precious and faithful words (though
through a vefiel weakened, and weak beyond mea-
fure) J and happy is he that hath an ear to hear them j
but woe from the Lord to that eye that is clofed, to
that ear that is fhut, to that heart that is hardened,
in the inventions and imaginations of man's flefhly
mind, againft the truth of God. Let the witnefs of
God in thee ftir and fpeak, it fhall anfwer me now ;
but if thou, through the ftrength of the flefli, and the
vain imaginations which thou hugged in thy heart,
ftifle the voice of it now, yet I know it fhall anfwer
me one day ; but then it will be too late for thee to
hear it.
The Lord is now gentle and tender, purfuing thee
with his love, and following thee up and down with
his light. And though thou run from him into fin
and tranfgreffion, and hearken to the wifdom of the
flefh ; yet his voice comes after thee to reclaim thee :
and if thou wilt hear, and but yield thyfelf to him,
he will not put thee to do any thing; but fubdue
^11 thy enemies for thee j yea, he will flay the ferpen-
tine wifdom in thee, with all its inventions, and dafli
all the children of Babylon againft the ftones, with-
out pity to them, though with great pity to thee. But
if thou refufe, and chufe the pleafure of the flelh, and
the grofs flelh-pots of Egypt, and turn thine ear from
his voice, giving way to the reafonings of the flelh,
and keeping down the witnefs, the day of wrath and
feverity, which all the fcriptures have fpoken of, will
come, and thou wilt have thy portion with hypocrites,
who in all ages have covered themfelves with a form
of
MAOE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 79
of religion, pleafing to the flefli and the world ; but
have withheld their hearts from the power of life.
Therefore prize the love of God to thee in giving
thee this warning; and be not uncircuaicifed in heart
and ears, as this generation ofprofelTors have always
been; but let Chrift reign in thy heart, and let him
trample all man's invented forms of knowledge and
worfliip under his feet, and give up thyfelf to be led
by him into the true knowledge and worfhip in the
fpirit and in the truth.
And now you who find your hearts touched and
convinced of the truth, and find any defire kindled
in you after the living God, and an hungering and
thirfling after his righteoufnefs, take notice of thefe
three things, which I have upon my heart to fay to
you, by way of advice :
I. Know and take up thy crojs^ the crofs of Chrifl,
the daily crofs of Chrift. The crofs of Chrift is that
which crofleth the natural ; and this is the power of
God to deliver from the natural. How Ihould the
earthly underftanding, the earthly will, the earthly
afFeftions, with the elementary nature (which have
had their fwing in the earth) be crucified and flain,
but by the crofs of Chrift ? He therefore that will
have a religion to pleafe himfelf in any thing, muft
not come hither; and he who after he is come hither,
admitteth of any thing pleafing to the earthly, and
ftarteth frofn the crofs, which would deny and turn
from it ; fo far as he doth fo, he goeth backward, and
not forward. It is no wonder that there is fuch an
enmity in all forts againft the truth -, for it ftriketh at
their life, yea, at the very root of their life. If there
were any new way or form of religion held forth, mens
underftandings and affeilions might by degrees be
wrought up to it, and find pleafure in it j but this is
diredt death to that nature and fpirit that hath lived
in any form of religion, and to the whole courfe of
that nature and fpirit ; yet through this death the true
life fprings up, in thofe who receive the ftrokes of it.
Therefore be willing, and learn to die daily, and bring
K 3 every
?o The way of LIFE and DEATH
every thiiig which is contrary to Chrift to the crofs.
Deny felf in every thing, take up the crofs in every
thing, follow Chrift in every thing. This is the way
which Chrift himfelf prefcribes to become his difci-
ples by : " If any man will come after me, let him
" deny himfelf, take up his crofs daily, and follow
" me." Seek not eafe in the fiefh, no not in the
leaft j but take up the crofs every day, in everything,
till the earthly be flain ; till the wifdom and ftrength
of the flefti be wholly fubdued, and then the wifdom
and power of God will become natural.
2. Keep to the fenfe, keep to the feeling; beware of
the underftanding, beware of the imagining conceiv-
ing mind. Thefe cannot be for God, nor bring forth
any thing for God, until they be new caft, and new
moulded. The one feed of life lies in the invifible,
in the hidden man of the heart, among multitudes of
feeds of death ; all which have their growth up into,
and ftrength in, the corrupted natural. So that this
feed c:ianot ftioot up into any part of the natural, but
the other feeds fhoot up with it, and endeavour to
choke it. Now the other feeds fpring up two ways,
either in a v;ay of oppofition againft the true feed, or
in a way of fimilitude. There cannot a good thought,
or defire, or beam of light, enter into the underftand-
ing or will, but multitudes of evil thoughts, evil de-
fires, or fleftily reafonings againft it, will fpring up
witi' it, and ftrive to overbear it. And if the enemy
be at length overcome, by the power of God fight-
ing with him and vanquifhing him, then he hath his
garment of light ; then he brings in thoughts and de-
fires, and motions like God's, which eafily pais for
good, if the foul keep not clofe upon the watch.
The forward underftanding is apt prefently to own
them, and the forward will to embrace, and the for-
ward affeftions to let themfelves forth into them, un-
til the foul come to feel a lofs in life, and mifs the
power and prefence of God, and find the enemy ftrong
again. Yea, the enemy hath yet a more fubtil way ;
namely, to raife motions like the motions of God'-s
i
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 8t
fpirit, and fuddenly^ before the light hath given the
difcerning of them, to raife oppofuions and reafonings
againfl: them ; that fo by the oppofition, which is ma-
nifeftly evil, the motion itfelf, which is alfo evil
(though good in appearance) might be the lefs fuf-
pe6led, and fvvallowed. Now the only way of hfcty
is to keep out of the natural, whereof the enemv hath
pofleflion, and where his ftrength lies, and to keep
in the fenfe and feeling of the invifible feed, and on-
ly to come forth with him into the natural, in that
fenfe and feeling. And when he comes, he will come
with ftrength, above the ftrength that the enemy hath
in the natural, and by degrees conquer him. But by
no means reft or abide in the natural, but retire with
the Lord (who will not dwell there until it be clean-
fed) into the refting-place. Thefe words may be hard
to you at prefent ; but hereafcer (as you come into
the exercife) you will feel them. And this is the rea-
fon why the formal and outward part of religion doth
fo commonly eat out the life, becaufe things there are
fuitable to, and exercife, that part wherein the ftrength
of the enemy liesj and there can never be perfedl
freedom and fafety until that part be fubdued, and all
that belongs to that part removed. The Lord is
rifen to fliake, that the kingdom which cannot be
ftiaken may appear j and happy are they who are ftia-
ken by his hand in all that is outward, and efta-
blifhed in the inward life, power, and reft, which re-
maineth for ever, and cannot be fhaken.
3. fFaii patiently the Lord's leifure. Be not hafty
after life and falvation in the will of the flefli ; but
leave the Lord to chufe his own feafon for the Ihow-
ering down of his mercy and blefllng. The Lord
will not prefently entertain that fpirit which hath adul-
terated from him (proftituting itfelf to ftrangers, and
defiling itfelf), into his bofom ; but there muft be a
time of forrow, a time of purifying and cleanfing.
The foul muft know and feel that it hath been an
evil thing and bitter, that it hath forfaken the Lord,
the living fountain of living mercies, and hath fought
K 4 life
21 Tut WAY OF LIFE and DEATH
life from vanities, and among dead idols. And all
the idols muft be thrown away, and the heart wafhed
from that nature that ran after them, and become a
pure virgin, to bear and bring forth the living feed j
and by faithfulnefs to that feed, and waiting in that
feed, in the Lord's feafon it fhall receive the mercy,
and the blefling, and the inheritance which belongs
to that feed. The hufbandman doth not prefently
reap, but waits long, even till the feed be grown up
to maturity. Jacob, the type of the feed, faid, " O
** Lord, I have waited for thy falvation." It is the
ele6tion that obtains : it is to the feed, and for the
feed's fake, that the mercy is bellowed ; and there
muft be a waiting till the feed be grown up to age,
and able to defend his portion from his elder brother,
who otherwife would be ready to feize on it, and
wade it upon harlots again. Therefore lie Hill, and
bear the indignation of the Lord againft that which
hath tranfgreffed, till he judge it, and deliver from it,
and lead into the innocency and righteoufnefs, and
then he will find a time to arife, and plead the caufe
of the innocent, and give the crown of immortal life
to that which he hath prepared for it. Therefore
think not the race long, nor the battle hard, nor be
weary of the affliftions and chaftifements in the way ;
but follow the captain, the guide, the leader ; whofe
light, ftrength, courage, and wifdom, will overcome
all, and bring the foul which abides in it into his
own throne.
Islow as you thus wait, taking up the crofs, and
keeping in the feeling ; fo the corrupt natural, the
mortal, wherein Satan's throne and power hath been,
will wither, decay, and grow weak daily j and the
tender plant of God, the immortal feed, will fhoot
\ip, and gather ftrength daily ; and you will come
to a will in God, and an underftanding in God, and
that which is of God will manifeft itfelf -, and you will
come to know, and defire, and take delight in the
things of God : then the foul, which is immortal,
will come to hear, and receive, and feed on the im-
mortal
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 83
mortal word, which is the bread of life, and which
alone is able to preferve and nourilh up to eternal
life. Then ye will know what it is to tremble at
this word, and to have all the powers of nature melt
and fail before it. Then ye will know the faith
which gives the victory, and the knowledge which
lets into life, and the fear which keeps the heart clean,
and the hope which anchors the foul immortal in the
immortal God, and the patience which wins the
crown. And fo ye will come to witncfs the feveral
conditions of the faints in fcripture as ye grow up
into them, and will not need men to give you mean-
ings of fcriptures from their brain-ftudies, and acquir-
ed arts and underllandings ; but will know the mean-
ing from the thing itfelf in your own hearts, and hear
the words from the living voice of that fpirit that
firfl: fpake them, who alone is able to interpret his
own mind, and open the words which he himfelf
fpake. And then ye will know and love life, and
need no more exhortations to depart from all dead,
corrupted, and corrupting forms, which ever were,
and ever will be, enemies to, and betrayers of, the
life. And fo the peace of God, the reft of God, the
true fabbath of God, the everlafting light and life of
God, will come to be your own, and enjoyed by you,
paft all gainfaying or difpute in you ; while the natu-
ral underftanding in others is reafoning, contending
and difputing about them, but can never know, while
they are from the thing within : for that mind is not
the heir, nor mull it inherit the kingdom of God.
POSTSCRIPT.
84 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
POSTSCRIPT.
To thofe who have had aferioufaers and depth in their
religion, who could not fit down in empty forms
and fhadows of things, but have been preffing after
the living fubftance -, and miffing of that, through
error of judgment (the true eye being not fixed in
the head) have come to a lofs ; and fo are returned
to, overgrown with, and hardened in, the old na-
ture; and have taken up a pitiful reft and center in
the earth, having let fall the purfuit of their fpirits
after the true center of reft in the life: a word to
fuch from the love in the life.
THERE was a fpirit, foul, or image of God
brought forth, and ftanding in his life, before
the fall.
This foul was brought into death, under the bur-
then and bondage of corruption, out of its proper
center and refting-place, by the fiill.
Now as there is in this ftate a true lofs, fo there is
in this fpirit a fenfiblenefs, a groaning under the bur-
den, a feeling the bitternefs of the captivity, and
panting after redemption and reftoration to its former
ftate.
Now though the whorifh part, which feduced from
the life, make a great noife in the flefli about faints
words, and tempt to pieafures of the outward parr,
and pieafures in the mind, and draw into forms and
religious worfiiip, and frame deep centers of fatisfac-
tion in the underftanding (perhaps from true openings
of the life, quenching it) and fo leek to quiet the foul,
and ftill the cry; yet the loft ftate remaining, the foul
being not truly redeemed, but a falfe reft taken up by
the way, in the falfe part, this will fiiil, and the {qhCq
be again renewed in the day of trial and fore trouble.
For the foul, by any imagination, or notion, or feel-
ing of a center in the corrupt mind, cannot be healed
or
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 85
or reftored; but only by having the true life raifed
up again in it, and itfelf brought into its proper place
and manfion in the fountain of life.
There have been in the fhakings of this nation
great ftirrings, the feed fpringing up, and great open-
ing to the feed -, the fpirit of prophecy hath been en-
larged in us, above what many of our forefathers felt;
but the way into the fpring of life hath not been known,
where the prefervation is : fo the whorifh part, the cor-
rupt part, the underilanding which was not purified,
and brought into fubjeftion into the truth, this harlot
caught the openings and prophecies of the true fpi-
rit, conceived with them, and brought forth children
to the flefli ; bringing forth a more inward appre-
henfion of things, a more fpiritual kind of know-
ledge, as of God to be all, all to be good, and in
God, and all fin and evil done away there, ^c. And
fo fuch as center here, form the fieflily mind, as it
were, in him, as it was not known before. And now
the redemption is forgotten, the pantings after life
flain, and the flefh can lie down quiet in the unre-
deemed eftate, and fay, it is his will, it is good;
and it can reft fatisfied there in that will of his which
is good. Thus the great abomination from the fubtil
flefii fprung up, which made many hearts defolate of
very precious fpringings-up and buddings-forth of the
true life and power of God.
But after this great lofs and betraying of the life
in them, it hath pleafed God to raife it up in others,
and to difcover the hammer, the fword, the fire, which
can knock down, cut down, and burn up this ■whorifh
parti and thither the whore is brought, when Ihe
comes to betray again, and the fpringings-up of life
(brink back, and lie fafe in the center, while the
whore is burning. And as the whore is burnt, the
heir comes up, and the fpirit (which is the portion of
his inheritance) defcends and reds upon him i and by
this he is known •, and that which is in union with him
knows him. Therefore, if you will live, come to
^hat hammer, that fword, that fire which flelh dreads,
and
86 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
and let the flefh be delivered up to it: and do not
defpife the day of fmall things, waiting for fome
great appearance ; but know it in its lowefl knock :
for its power of redemption is as truly there, as in its
greatefl: appearance. He that hath an ear let him hear,
and his foul (hall live.
Let thofe therefore whom this concerns confider
their ways (as the grace that appeared to me hath
taught me to do) and try this foundation, upon what
they Hand; and that they do not kill what is opened,
and live in the flain openings, and fo in the end be-
come dark, airy, dry, withered, wheeling about, and
turning into the earth, it becoming their reft and foun-
dation again, and fo lofing the joys which formerly
the opener did open. This, with me, many of you
may witnefs ; for whom my defire is, that they may
alfo witnefs the return to that which then opened,
and live in the opener, and be preferved by him from
abufing his precious openings any more.
For though I had a true tafte of life and power from
Godi yet not knowing the foundation, there could be
no true building with it : and fo the fpirit was quen-
ched, the life wafted, the portion fpent upon harlots,
the true bread loft, and chaff and hufks fed upon,
without the leaft fatisfadlion to the foul j the fenfe
whereof, when the fpirit of the Lord awakened me,
did almoft overwhelm me. Yea, the bands of death
were fo ftrengthened upon me, and the fpirit of the
world had taken fuch hold of me, that I found my
return very difficult: yea, when living v/ords of hope
were mentioned to me, to draw me back to that prin-
ciple of life from which I had gone out, I could re-
ceive nothing; but cry out, Impoflible ! impoflible !
impoflible 1 1 felt myfelf like a tree twice dead, pluck-
ed up by the roots, without the capacity of life, fenfe,
or motion in the eternal being any more. But at
length it pleafed life to move in a low way in the
midft of the powers of darknefs in my heart; and
by finking low out of the wifdom, out of the reafon,
out of all high imaginations, and trufting myfelf to
its
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 8/
it; though dreadful ftrokes and oppofitions were felt
from the powers of darknefs ; yet at length there was
fome appearance of the deliverer, in fuch a poor, low,
weak, defpicable way, as could never have been wel-
comed, had not the foul been firft brought to diftrefs,
and the loftinefs of the imaginary part brought down.
And then coming out of that into the feeling, in an-
other part, there was a feed fprung up into a child ;
and as the child grows, and feeds on the milk of the
immortal Word, I live, and am llrengthened in him,
and daily weakened in that part which lived before.
Thefe are true words, from an honeft heart, for the
relief of thofe who may have been entangled in the
fame fnare.
A Testimony of great concernment to all thofe that
call themfelves Chriftians, but have not known the
true church, of which alone the true Chriftian can
be born.
THERE hath been a great war between the wo-
man and her feed, and the harlot and her feed,
from the beginning to this day j and they have each
had their prevailings in the war. The woman and her
feed have been made ftrong in God, to conquer fome
of the territories of death, and to {tt up their life in
the world. Thus, in the Jewifh ftate, God prepared
an heaven and earth for the woman and her feed, and
when that heaven and earth were fhaken, he prepared
a more glorious heaven and earth in the Chriftian
ftate. Now no fooner was the church and her feed
feated in either of thefe, but the dragon made war
againft her, and in the war had power given him to
recover her feat from her. Thus the devil got pof-
feflion of the Jewilh ftate, fo that there was no room
for the true church there, but all was in idolatry and
corruption ; and the Lord was not ferved by their ce-
j^emonies, by their facrifices, by their fabbaths, by
their
88 The WAY of LIf E and DEATH
their new moons, by their temple-worlhipSi &c. but
the devil. And the devil alio got pofTefllon of the
heaven and the earth in the Chriftian ftate ; fo that in
their ordinances, and in their worfhips, in their du-
ties, in thofe which they call their churches, God hath
not been worfhipped in the truth, but the devil, for
thefc many ages. For mark : who was it that got into
the temple of God ? Was it not antichrifl ? Was it
not the fpirit of Satan ? i Theff. ii. 4. And who was
it that was worfliipped in all the world, that had
power given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and
nations, and whom all that dwell upon the earth wor-
fhip ? Was it not the dragon ? Rev. xiii. 7, 8. Did
not all the world wonder after the beafb, and worfhip
the dragon which gave power unto the beaft ? ver. 3,
4. of that chapter. The woman was aflaulted here,
her ftrong holds taken from her, fo that flie could not
ftay fafe in that heaven and earth which God had made
for her j therefore there was another place prepared for
her by God in the wildcrnefs, and fhe had wings of
an eagle given her to fly thither; but the dragon got
into, and held pofleflion of, the heaven where ilie
was before. Rev. xii. So that none hath known the
church all this time but he that hath been born of
her in the wildernefs ; which was a place the world
never dreamed of, but looked for her in the heaven
and in the earth, which the devil had got poflefTion
of. And here they cry up the ordinances ! the ordi-
nances 1 duties ! the church ! the miniftry ! &c. (as
the Jews did " the temple of the Lord 1 the temple
" of the Lord!") not knowing in whofe hands thefe
were, and whom they worfhipped hereby. Now con-
fider this, O ye Chriftians ! I fpeak what I afTuredly
know, that God could not be truly worfhipped in any
of thefe, while they were in the devil's hands; but
the whorifh fpirit and her feed worfhip here : and the
worfhip of the church, and her feed, was a wildernefs
■worfhip, or a worfhip which fhe learned of God in the
wildernefs. Mark now, and confider my teltimony,
O ye Chriftians 1 1 deny all the worfhip, all the ordi-
nances.
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 89
nances, which were taught the Chriftians of old, now
praclifed by the whorifh fpirit ; for the devil had gained
it, and corrupted itj and having corrupted it, God
could not be any more worfhipped in it; but the an-
tichriftian fpirit fat there, giving forth thofe things as
.his laws. He fat in the temple of God, and there
made ufe of the velfels and ordinances which he had
carried captive into his Babylon ; and I deny it to be
pofTible to have any true ufe of thefe till the time of
the recovery. And now the time of the recovery is
come, and the rellitution begun -, people know it not,
but cry up the old heaven, and the old earth, which
Satan had corrupted, fetting it up in oppofition againft
the new, which God hath new formed, and is bring-
ing forth in true beauty and glory.
Now in this war, though the devil, though the har-
lot and her feed got the woman's feed from her, and
banifhed her feed as it were out of the earth , yet
they were not able to touch the woman, nor to over-
come the life of God in her feed, but only to kill
their bodies -, but the life was dill conqueror over
them, and not fubjecled to them. They could raife
up churches, and ordinances, and minifters, and duties,
and caufe all that dwell on the earth to worfhip
in fome part or other of his Babylon ; but they could
never make the feed bow to any of their images ; nor
could they hurt the woman hereby who was in the wil-
dernefs, out of the reach of all thefe j and there flie
did eat the bread of life with tears, mourning over
her defolate eftate, and her lofs of children. And
here alone was the true bread of life, which was not
to be known or taftfd of in any of the ordinances of
the apollafy. Ye will all one day acknowledge this to
be a true teftimony, held forth to you in true love : it
were good for you that ye could fee it now.
A brief
90 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
A brief account of what we are, and what our work
is in the world.
WE are a people whom God hath converted to
himfelf ; a people in whom God hath raifed up
the leed of his own life, and caufed it to reign over
the earthly part in ourfelvesj a people whom God
hath divorced from the fpirit of whoredom, and joined
to his own Spirit. We, many of us, fought truly
and only after God from our childhood; our confci-
ences bear us witnefs in the fight of God j but the ho-
nefty of our hearts was fliil betrayed, and we led
afide by the whoriili fpirit, and knew not how to turn
to that of God in us, which inclined us towards God.
By this means we came to great diftrefs and mifery
beyond all men. Not but that all men were in as
great a want of God, his life, povver, and prefence,
as we; but the fenfe thereof was not fo quickened in
others as in us. Now it pleafed the Lord at length
to pity us, and to inform our minds towards himfelf;
to fhew us where life lay, and where death lay ; and
how to turn from the one and to the other, and he
gave us his helping hand to turn us : and by being
turned to him, we have tailed of the truth, of the
true wifdom, of the true power, of the true life, of
the true righteoufnefs, of the true redemption -, and
by receiving of this from God, and tailing and han-
dling of it, we come to know that that which the
world hath fct up in the Head of it, is not the thing
itfelf. Now mark, we are not perfons that have lliot
up out of the old root into another appearance, as
one feft hath done out of another, till many are come
up one after another, the ground Hill remaining the
fame out of which they all grew ; but that ground
hath been fhaken and Ihaking, dellroyed and deflroy-
ing, removed and removing in us ; and the old root
of Jelfe hath been made manifell in us, and we have
been tranfplanted by the everlalling power of life, and
a real
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. pi
a real change brought forth in us out of that fpirit
wherein the world lives and worfhips, into another
Spirit, into which nothing which is of the world can
enter. And here we have met with the call of God,
the converfion to God, the regeneration in God, the
jullification, the fancSlification, the wifdom, the re-
demption, the true life and power of God, which the
world cannot fo much as bear the name of. And
what we are made of God in Chrift, we know to be
truth, and no lie ; and when we teftify of this to the
world, in the meafure of the life of God in us, we
fpeak truth, and no lie; though the world, which
knoweth not the truth, cannot hear our voice.
Now our work in the world is to hold forth the
virtues of him that hath called us 3 to live like God;
not to own any thing in the world which God doth
not own ; to forget our country, our kindred, our fa-
ther's houfe, and to live like perfons of another coun-
try, of another kindred, of another family -, not to
do any thing of ourfelves, and which is pleafmg to
the old nature; but all our words, all our converfation,
yea, every thought in us, is to become new. What-
ever comes from us, is to come from, the new princi-
ple of life in us, and to anfwer that in others ; but
we mull not pleafe the old nature at all in ourfelves,
nor in any elfe. And walking faithfully thus with
God, we have a reward at prefent, and a crown in the
end, which doth and will countervail all the reproaches
and hardlliips we do or can meet with in the world.
We are alfo to be witnefTes for God, and to pro-
pagate his life in the world ; to be inftruments in his
hand to bring others out of death and captivity into
true life and liberty. We are to fight againll the
powers of darknefs every where, as the Lord calleth
Xis forth. And this we are to do in his v/ifdom, ac-
cording to his will, in his power, and in his love,
fweetnefs, and meeknefs. We are not to take ways
according to our own wifdom (but there muft be a
ftrid watch fct in the life, leil that get up again);
nor muft we fpeak fuch words as man's wifdom would
Vol. I. L call
92 The WAY OF LIFE AND DEATH
call wife; nor may we go in our own will to fcek
any ; but the Lord mud go before : nor may we make
ufe of our own ftrength, but feel his arm in our
weaknefs : nor may we go forth in that love, fwcet-
nefs, or meeknefs, which is pleafing to the flcflily
mind ; but we mud be true to God, handling the
fword fkilfuUy and faithfully, judging and cutting
down the tranfgrellbr in the power and authority of
God : and when the meek, the lowly, the humble
thing is reached and raifed, then the true love, the
fweetnefs, the tendernefs, the meeknefs muft go forth
to that. The Lord God is rough with the tranfgref-
for, and all along the fcripture heweth and judgeth
him ; and if we come forth in the fame Spirit, we
fhall find the fame leadings where we meet with the
fame thing : for the Lord God will never be tender
there J nor can that which comes from him, lives in
him, is led by him, be tender there, where he is
not.
Now the very root of this feverity is good, and of
God, and hath love and fweetnefs at the bottom of it;
yea, in pity, love, and bowels do we ufe the fword.
It is in pity to the poor captived creature, that that
might be cut down which keeps it in bonds and capti-
vity. And though we fecm enemies to all forts of
men for the Lord's fake ; yet we are not enemies, nor
could do the leaft hurt to them any way; but are true
friends to their fouls, and bodies alfo : and our only
controverfy is with that which captives and makes
them miferable ; for we fight not at all with flefh and
blood, but with the principality and power which led
from God, and rules in it againft God, to the poor
creature's ruin and deftru6lion. Yea, if we had all
the power of the earth in our hands, we could not
fet up our own way, (if, after the manner of men, I
may fo call it) or fo much as difturb others in their
way thereby; but fhould wait in patience till God
gave us an entrance by his power.
Now let not men run on in heats againft us ; but
let them ferioufly confider whether we be of God or
no :
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. g;^
no : and let them confider not with the reafon and
undeiftanding which is alienated from God ; but with
the witnefs which lies hid in the heart. There is one
great palpable argument that we are of God, which is-
this: all the world is againft us; the worldly part
every where fights with us; the worldly part, in every
fort and fedl of men, oppofeth us ; the rage of men
every where rifeth up againft us : but thofe that are fo
hot againft us, if at any time they become but meek
and calm, patiently confidering our caufe, and con-
fulting thereupon with the teftimony that they find in
their own hearts concerning us, they foon become pa-
cified, and fee that we are no man's enemies, againft
no righteous law, not againft relations, not againft
governments, not againft any thing in the world that
is good ; but only againft that which is evil and cor-
rupt. And of a truth, the corruption of things God
hath ftiewn unto us, and daily calls us forth after an
immediate manner to witnefs againft.
Therefore let men be fober, and take heed what
they do, left they be found fighters againft God ; for
the reproaches, the feoffs, with other perfecutions,
which feem to be caft at us, light on him. It is not
as we are men, but as we are obedient to him, as we
ftand witnefles for him, that we meet with thefe things.
Now as it is not we ourfelves that do thefe things,
but the life and power of God in us ; fo it is not we
that are ftruck at, but that life and power: if it were
not for that, we might be as acceptable as other men.
It is becaufe we. are net of the world, but God hath
called us out of the world, that we are fo hated of
the world. This is the true caufe; though the world
will no more now acknowledge it, than it would in
former ages. Yet 1 do not fpeak this for my own
fake, to avoid my ftiare in the crofs •, for the reproach
of Chrift is our riches ; yea, far greater treafure than
is to be found in the palace of Egypt. Yea, the pre-
fence of God, the fweet power of life, makes up all
our lofTes ; fo that we have no caufe to complain. It
is very fweet^ pleafant, and profitable for us to be
L 2 found
94 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
found fufferers for God ; but we know it will not be
profitable for you to be found perfecutors : and this is
told you in true love and good-will, by one who
wiflies no evil to you, for all that evil that ye have exer-
cifed toward the dear and precious people of God for
thefe many years. O that God would open your eyes,
that ye might fee whom ye have oppofed, and againft
whom ye have hardened and ftrengthened yourfelves,
that ye might bow to him, and receive life from him,
and not perifh in your gainfaying and oppofition.
An addition concerning the doctrine of j unification.
BECAUSE the dofbrine of juftification is of great
concernment, and the enemy of mankind hath
exceedingly endeavoured to corrupt it, and in the
apoftafy hath greatly prevailed j and the darkncfs
which fprings up in the fleihly wifdom is exceeding
thick at this day concerning this thing ; therefore, in
true love to fouls, it is laid upon me to fearch into
that fcripture which chiefly fpeaks thereof, and from
thence to clear it up to fuch who are not yet come to
the life that gave forth the fcriptures.
Tiie apoille Paul doth largely and fully treat of it,
in his epiftle to the Romans, and lays down feveral
things concerning it j which, if well heeded, may
dafh mens prefent apprehenfions about it, and bring
them to wait for the opening of thofe fcriptures to
them in another light than they have yet known.
I. He affirms that juftification is not " by the deeds
«* of the law." Rom. iii. 20. If a man could fay,
with the young man. All thefe things have I done
from my youth; or as Paul, that he was, as touching
the law, blamelefsj yet could he not be juftified
thereby.
And the apoftle gives a mighty reafon ; " for by
*' the law is the knowledge of fin." Now juftification
is not by the making of fin known; but by that which
faves
MADE MAKIFESTj AND SET BEFORE MEN. 95
faves and delivers from it. The knowledge of fin
may put a man upon feeking out for juftification ; but
it cannot juftify him, but rather condemn him^ but
that which delivers him from the fin, which the law
makes known, that juftifies him.
2. He affirms that " the righteoufnefs of God"
(which is the juftification) " is manifefted without the
** law." Ver. 2r. The law makes fin known, and
Ihews the finner the need of juftification ; but the juf-
tification itfelf is not thereby, but is manifefted with-
out it. The law commands the nature to ad; that
pertains to fimilitudes, figures, types, and Ihadows,
to the obedience of them ; but the feed takes away
the nature that pertains to fimilitudes, and fiiadows,
and the works of the law. So to the obedience of
thofe things the law commands, there is juftification
by the law in the obedience to the works it commands;
but the juftification, Chrift, removes the nature that
pertains to thofe things the law commands : fo that
juftification, the law, ends in Chrift.
3. That this righteoufnefs or juftification is " wit-
" neflcd by the law and the prophets." Ver, 21,
The law, though it is not the juftification, nor can
the juftification be by obedience to it, or by the deeds
of it; yet it gives teftimony to the juftification : for
the fubftance of what the law and all the prophets
witnefs is, that nothing can juftify but the righteouf-
nefs of God,
4. That this righteoufnefs or juftification is " by
«* the faith of Chrift," ver. 22, by believing or en-
tering into that which juftifies. As condemnation
was by unbelief, by joining unto, and entering into
the fpirit of enmity ; fo juftification is by joining un-
to, and entering into the Spirit of love, i3y true union
with Chrift in the Spirit; which union is by the faith
which comes from Chrift.
5. That this juftification or righteoufnefs is '' upon
*' all that believe." Ver, 22. He that receiveth the
faith, believeth ; and he that believeth, hath right-
eoufnefs ; and he that believeth not cannot have the
L 3 righteouf-
96 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
righteoufnefs ; but the condemnation and wrath abideth
on him.
6. That this juftification is " freely by the grace,"
ver. 24. There is no way to come to this righteouf-
nefs but by the gift of grace j which gift is given
freely. Therefore, if ever man will be juftified, he
muft know the grace, and the gift which comes from
the grace, and receive it ; and receiving it, he cannot
mifs of juftification J and not receiving it (but either
being ignorant of it, or refifting of it), he cannot
poflibly be juftified.
7. That this juftification is by the ** redemption of
" Chriji" ver. 24. Chrift is the redeemer j the redemp-
tion (wherein is the juftification) is in him, and there
is no way of meeting with the juftification or redemp-
tion, but by receiving of him in whom it isj and he
who hath him, hath the juftification, and is made par-
taker of the redemption ; and he who hath not him,
hath it not.
Mark then, the juftification or redemption is not
by believing of a thing done without man (though
that alfo is to be believed) but by receiving him into
the heart. For the virtue of all Chrift did without,
is within him : and I cannot be made partaker there-
of by believing that he did fuch a thing without, or
that he did it for me, but by receiving the virtue of
it into me, and feeling the virtue of it in me. This
is that which faves me, and makes that which was
done without to be mine.
8. That Chrift is the " propitiation," ver. 25. or
that which pacifies and makes way for fmners to God ;
fo that he that truly receiveth Chrift hath the atone-
ment; but he that hath not received him, only dream-
eth of peace with God j but ftill remaineth in the en-
mity, and is liable to the wrath, having the bond of
iniquity over him, and is in the night.
9. That this propitiation is by " faith in the blood,"
ver. 25. There is nothing pacifies God but the blood
of his Son ; and there is nothing feels the blood but
the faith, and that which is in the faith. A man may
read
MADE MANIFEST, AND SET BEFORE MEN. 97
read fcriptures, and gather notions about juftification,
and think he believes aright, and fhall be juftified;
but he never comes to feel the blood, nor the life
which is in the blood, till he receive the faith, and
then he knoweth the true propitiation, and the true
peace, which before he did but talk of.
10. That this faith is ''the righteoufnefs ;" faith
is the gift of God, and this gift juftifies ; this gift is
the juftification; this is that which God " imputeth
" for righteoufnefs, chap. iv. ver. 3, 5. The faith is
in the blood, and the blood in the Son ; and in the
true receiving of the Son, both the faith and the blood
are known and felt. Thefe are true words, though
hard to the flefhly ear. Do not ftumble in the wif-
dom, but calmly wait for the revelation of the fpirit,
and then thou wilt fay, the price of this knowledge
is not to be valued; and if once thou come to taftc
truth here, all thy knov/ledge in the letter will be but
drofs with thee. " Ye are come to the blood of
*' fprinkling." O do not reft in an outward way of
believing, an outward thing; but feek out the way
of coming to the blood of fprinkling.
11. That the juftification is of the "ungodly" ver.
5. He whom God maketh righteous, was ungodly
before he made him righteous. There was nothing
but unrighteoufnefs could be imputed to him in
tranfgreftion, before he gave him his Son, and made
him righteous in his Son ; for nothing is righteous
with God but Chrift, and man only as he is taken
into his righteoufnefs; which is done not by a be-
lieving from the bare letter, but by a receiving of
faith in the life.
12. That the juftification of the ungodly is, by be-
lieving in him that juftifieth, ver. 5. The gift of
faith goes forth from him, and is received into the
heart. Now both by the gift itfelf, and by the exer-
cife of it, is the juftification; by receiving of the
gift is the perfon juftified ; by the exerciie of the gitc
are all his anions juftified. Chrift being let into the
heart, juftifies the heart into which he is received ;
L 4 ^nd
98 The WAY of LIFE and DEATH
and Chrift being in the heart, juftifies every motion
and a6lion that connes from his life j and any other
motion or acftion is not juftified; for it is out of that
which is juftified, and is in and from that which is
condemned.
" Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto
" him for righteoufnefs," ver. 3. God promifed him
a feed ; he believed God. God bid him facrifice this
type; he believed. This was it which was imputed
unto him for righteoufnefs. Now if he had not be-
lieved; if he had not received the gift, or not exer-
cifed the gift, could he have been righteous ? So that
Abraham was not juftified by any work he did, or could
do; but by receiving and exercifing the faith in the
feed : by going out of his country, kindred, and fa-
ther's houfe, not of himfelf, but by faith, and by liv-
ing to God, and obeying his voice in that land to which
he was led; not in his own will or power, but in the
faith. And by hearing the call of God, and receiving
the faith, and living out of felf, out of a man's own
underftanding, will, and power, in the faith, and liv-
ing power, and wifdom of God, is the juftification
now ; and they that do thus are children of Abraham,
born of the free woman; when-as they who take up
pradlices from the letter, without being ingrafted into
the life, are but children of the bond-woman ; but
fuch children of Abraham as the Jews were (if fo
much) ; and cannot inherit that promife which belongs
to the fpiritual feed, while they live in that Hate.
13. That where the faith which is imputed unto
rio-hteoufnefs is found, there " fin is not imputed, but
<« covered •," which is a blefled ftate, ver. 6, 7, 8.
Sin cuts off from God, who is life and bleffednefs.
Sin lays open to the wrath of the Creator, which is too
great for the creature to bear. Wo and mifery will
be his portion to whom God imputes fin ; but happy
is he who has his fin covered ! This is a happy condi-
tion ; life and immortality will foon be opened to him.
Now this bleflednefs cometh not by the works of the
law, for they cannot remove the fin ; but by the right-
eoufnefs of faith, which is able to cover the fin even
from
MADE MANIFEST^ AND SET BEFORE MEN, ^f)
from the pure eye of God. O Chriftians, Chriftiam!
do not imagine yourfelves covered from fin ; but knew
it, feel it ; never relt till ye are fo made partakers 3f
the true righteoufnefs, that, by its virtue in you, ye
may be paft all doubt that it is it. Believing from
the letter without you that ye are juftified, may eafily
deceive you -, but if once you come truly to feel in
yourfelves the thing which juftifies, and fo find tie
power and life of it in you, above the power of all
that which condemns, cafting out the condemned
thing, and the condemner, with all his works, out of
your hearts ; this cannot deceive. The virtue of life
was loft in the apoftafy ; and that which was livin:i^
did not fo much enjoy life as mourn after it] and the
power and fafety of life did then appear moft in mourn-
ing; but now the apoftafy draws towards an end, and
the virtue begins to fhoot up again ^ and he that will
be a Chriftian now, muft be fo, not by retaining his
old notions, but by feeling this new virtue, and by
growing up in this new-fprung life and power of the
Lord, whofe appearance is new to us, who have not
been acquainted with it, but have been brought up in
the darknefs of the apoftafy, and lived in the waters
where great leviathan ruled, and who was able to
make war with him there ? But he that feeketh, i«
joined with, and keepeth to, that power which drieth
up the waters, and putteth an hook into the noftril*
of the leviathan; fhall find the world, with the whoh
courfe of it, ending in himfelf, and the beginning anc
growth of an endlefs life -, and in whom that life lives
they fhall live alio ; but where death keeps the powc
of life down, fuch fliall not live, or know the bleflins
but abide under the curfe of mifery and death, ani
under the powers of darknefs. Therefore look aboit
you, and make a wife choice i for his fervants ye ae
whom ye obey, whether the prince of darknefs, n
his invented forms of godlinefsj or the prince of lio-h,
in the living power; and your reward fhall be accori-
ing to your choice and work, either death in the deaih,
if ye chufe and join to that; or life in the life, ii'yc
join to that. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear.
THE
THE
SCATTERED SHEEP
SOUGHT AFTER.
FIRST,
In a LAMENTATION over the General Loss of
the Powerful Presence of GOD in his People fince
the Days of the Apostles ; with a particular Bewail-
ing of the Withering and Death of thofe precious
Buddings-forth of Life, which appeared in many at
the Beginning of the late Troubles in thefe Nations ;
with the proper Way of Recovery for fuch.
SECONDLY,
In fome PROPOSITIONS concerning the Only Watt
OF Salvation ; where is an Answer given to that
great Objection, that the Light which convinceth
of Sin, is the Light of a natural Confcience ; and a
brief Account rendered of the Ground of Mens un-
derftanding Scriptures.
THIRDLY,
In expofing to View theFuNDAMEN'TAL Principle of the
Gospel, upon which the Redeemed Spirit is built.
FOURTHLY,
And in fome Questions and Answers (by way of CATE-
CHISM, for the fake of the Simple-hearted) diredling to
that Principle, and fixing in it.
By Isaac Penington the Younger.
When Ephraim fpake trembling, he exalted himfelf in Ifrael ; but:
when he oftended in Baal, he died. And now they fin more and
more, &c. therefore they fhall be as the morning cloud, as the
early dew, &c. Hof. xiii. i, 2, 3.
Yea, his fpring (hall become dry, and his fountain fliall be dried up.
Ver. 15.
We have all been as (heep going aftray ; but blefTed be the everlaft-
ing arm which hath gathered any of us to the fhepherd and bifhop
of our fouls.
O come to the fold ; O fcattered Iheep, come to the fold. Wander
no longer from mountain to hill ; but remember your refting-place,
the old refting-place of Ifrael, even the mountain of the Lord's
houfe, where Ifrael may lie down and feed in peace, and no ra-
venous beaft can difturb.
O houfe of Jacob, let whoredom, wine, and new wine no longer
Ileal away your hearts ; but come, let us walk in the light of ths
Lord.
[ 1^3 ]
THE
R E F A C E.
" Ti iTY people have committed two great evils; they
*' XVX ^^^^ forfaken me, the fountain of living waters,
" and hewed them out cifterns, broken cifterns, that can
*f hold no water." This was ever and anon the complaint
of the Lord concerning Ifrael, from the beginning to
the end. The Lord did delight to beget, nourilh, and
bring up that people for himfelf j but they were al-
moft continually revolting from him, and rebelling
againft him. He did mighty things for them ; but
they ftill forgot him. He redeemed them by his out-
ftretched arm ; he fed them, he defended them ; but
they knew him not, Ifaiah i. 3. but decked themfelves
with the ornaments which they had from him, and
then lift up the heel againft him, Ezek. xvi. 7. and
Deut. xxxii. 15. In plain terms, they got what know-
ledge they could from him into their own veffels,
and then they would fet up for themfelves, live of
themfelves, without frefh bubblings up of life from the
fpring, from whence their knowledge came. The
priefts faid not. Where is the Lord ? but could handle
the law, and teach the knowledge of it without him ;
and the prophets could prophefy by another fpirit,
Jer. ii. 8. And thus the Lord God of life lived not
in them; but they lived upon fuch things as once came
from the life -, but, being feparated from the fpring,
were dead, and nouriflied but the dead part in them,
the
104 PREFACE.
the eftranged from God. And thus, though their pro-
fefTions were grcat^ and they multiplied prayers, facri-
fices, and falls, and drew nigh to God with their
lips, yet their hearts were far from him. They had
forfaken the fountain; they drank not of the waters
of the fpring, of the rock that followed them •, but
they drank of the waters of their own cifterns. They
fet up that knowledge of the law for their light which
they had hewed out with the tools of their own ander-
ftanding, without the fpirit that wrote it. This was
Ifrael's error of old: they drank very zealoufly of the
waters of the law; but they drank it not from the
fpring, but out of the ciflerns which themfelves had
hewed.
And as it was thus with Ifrael of old, fo hath it
been with Ifrael fince. The Chriftian Ifrael hath
been always backfliding, always forgetting the Lord !
ftill getting what they could from him to live of them-
felves, but refufing to live on him : getting what
knowledge they could from the fcriptures without
him ; getting what they could from their exercifesand
experiences ; but neglefting the fpring of their life.
And fo this Ifrael alio dies ; this Ifrael likewife
withers, and becomes a fcorn to the heathen. For
though they fpeak great words of their God ; yet they
themfelves are but as the heathen ; uncircumcifed
like them ; unacquainted with the virtue and power
of life like them; always driving againft lin in that
which cannot conquer; and fo they alfo are flaves un-
der their lufts and corruptions, like the heathen, and
know not the truth, which makes free indeed.
Exceeding great hath been the apoftafy of this age !
micrhty was the appearance of God inwardly in his
people's fpirits ! mighty was the appearance of God
outwardly in the nation ! many ways and great hopes
there were of a thorough reformation. But how fud-
denly was the pure fpirit of the Lord forgotten, and
departed from, and his work overturned both withm
and without; inwardly in his people's fpirits, and out-
wardly in the nation, whofe revolting was but a type
of
PREFACE, IC5
of the inward ! and how hath the fpirit of the Lord
mourned after his people, often reproving them for
their backflidings ! but they have been (as Ifrael of
old) like the deaf adder, juftifying themfelves, aid
complaining againil the witneiles of God (as Ifrael cid
againft his prophets) who from the Lord teftify agaiift
them. And it cannot be otherwife; for the dead wa-
ters in Ifrael's hewn cilterns will never agree with tie
waters of the living fountain, but will withfland th;ir
teftimony.
How fhall the charmer charm wifely enough to
make apoftate Ifrael hearken to his voice ! I have not
backflidden, faith one in one form ; 1 have not bacl:-
flidden, faith another in another form : I have not
backflidden, faith one in one notion ; I am not bacl..-
flidden, faith another in another notion : I am believ-
ing, hoping, and waiting in what the Lord hath al-
ready revealed, and following on to know him. This
hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obey-
edft not my word] but ftill haft been juftifying thy-
felf as if thou hadft obeyed. And yet your backflid-
ings are written upon your foreheads, as with the point
of a diamond. For who among you retains his frefh-
nefs ? An evident demonftration that ye are departed
from the fpring, and hold your knowledge, experien-
ces, and hopes in the dead part -, and your choiceft
prop of comfort is the remembrance of what ye once
had. Ah poor, barren, dead fouls, is this your beib
fupport ! return, return ; enter into the houfe of
mourninor, and let the living lav it to heart.
THE
[• io6 ]
THE
SCATTERED SHEEP
SOUGHT AFTER.
A Lamentationj with a Call to Mourn-
ing and Lamentation, &c.
O ISRAEL, the royal feed, the plant of renown,
the living offspring of eternity 1 O daughter of
Sion, who didft once (hine w^ith the beauty and glory
cf life, what is become of thee ! How art thou held
captive, and chained up in Babylon ! How doft thou
lie fullied among the pots ! How are the wings of thy
dove clipped 1 How art thou covered and polluted
with the filth of the whole earth !
O take up a lamentation, weep, O Ifrael ! mourn, O
daughter of Jerufalem ! bewail thy widowhood, thy
defolation, thy lofs of hufband, thy fad captivity, thy
banifliment out of thine own land, and thy thraldom
in the land of thine enemy !
What is become of thy God, the mighty God of
Jacob, whofe out-ftretched arm hath been able tofave
and redeem his feed out of bondage ? What enemy
hath been able to ftand before him ? What wild boar
out of the wood, or wild bead out of the foreft, was
able to break into his vineyard, while he kept the
fence ? Where is that arm that fmote Rahab, and flew
the dragon ? Where is that hook that he was wont to
put into the noftrils of the leviathan ? Pharaoh is
alive
<?
The scattered Sheep sought after. 107
alive, the wife Egyptians have power, Egypt holds
the feed in bondage ; Gebal, Ammon, and Amaleck,
the Philiftines, with the inhabitants of Tyre, are all
able to fmite Ifrael, and to ftop up the well-fprings
of life. Awake, O arm of the Lord ! and awaken
Ifrael, that thou again mayefl become his faviour in
the fight of all the nations; and let all the houfe of
Ifrael, being awakened, mourn in the fpirit of the
Lord after the Lord.
What is become of thy MeiTiah, the Lord's anoint-
ed, the captain of the Lord's holt, the angel of the
covenant of life ; who was wont to go in and out be-
fore thee in fighting the Lord's battles j who was thy
prince and faviour in the land of peace and reft; who
walked in the midft of the candlefticks -, who was thy
kiiig, thy Hiepherd, thy temple wherein thou worlhip-
pedtt, and the eternal light of thy life in the land of
the living ?
What is become of that holy fpirit which quicken-
ed thee to God, and which lived in thee being quick-
ened ; which kept thee alive in him that liveth, and
made thee tafte the fweetnefs of life continually ?
Where is the anointiffg which fuppled thee all over
with the oil of gladnefs and falvation ? Where is the
comforter that rcfrelhed thy fpirit continually, and
led thee into all truth, teachino; thee all the things of
God according to thy meafure of growth in the life ?
Where is the fpirit of thy father, which fpirited thee
with thy father's nature, which begat and brought
forth the life, power, glory, majefty, eternity of thy
father in thee ?
What is become of Sion, the holy mount, whereon
thou waft built ? Sion, the fortrefs of holinefs, where
is it ? What is become of Jerufalem, the holy city,
thy mother, whereof thou waft born ? What is become
of that covenant of life, in whofe womb thou waft be-
gotten and brought forth, and by whofe milk and
breath thou waft afterwards nourifhed and brought
up.
Vol. I. M Where
io8 The scattered Sheep sought after.
Where are all the fruits of the holy land ; the plea-
fant grapesj the fweet figs, the precious olives that
yielded wine and oil to make the heart glad, and to
refrefli the countenance of the Lord of life ? Where
is the joy in the Lord, the obedience to the Lord,
the praying, the praifing, the living, the walking in
his fpirit, the entering into and bringing forth fruit
in his pure underftanding, and in his holy and un-
fpotted will, and moving in the purified heart ?
Alas, alas ! Babylon has prevailed i her king hath
reigned ; Sion hath been held in bonds ; and that
which hath fprung up under her name, hath been the
filthy offspring of Babylon, the feed of the mother of
harlots j and thefe have brought forth four fruit, loath-
fome fruit, finely painted to the view of that eye
which cannot fearch into it, but loathfome in its na-
ture. This has been the ftate of the apoflafy fince
the days of the apoftles, wherein that which hath not
been of God hath reigned, and that which hath been
of God hath fuffered, and been reproached as if it had
not been of God, and hath panted and mourned after
the fpringing up of the fpring of its life, and its ga-
thering into it.
The deep fenfe of this hath afHiflcd my foul from
my tender years ; the eternal witnefs awakening in me,
and the eternal light manifefling the darknefs all along
unto me -, though I knew not that it was the light,
but went about to meafure its appearances in me by
words which itfelf had formerly fpoken to others, and
fo fet up my own underftanding and comprehenfion
as the meafure, although I did not then perceive or
think that I did fo. Thus continually, through igno-
rance, I flew the life, and fold myfelf for a thing
of nothing, even for fuch an appearance of life as my
underftanding part could judge moft agreeable to
fcriptures. This the Lord blew upon, though its
comelinefs was unutterable (the life ftill feeding my
fpirit underneath, from whence fprang an inward beauty
and frefhnefs). Then fuch a day, or rather night, of
darknefs and diftrefs overtook me, as would make the
hardeft
The scatt£R.ed Sheep sought after. 109
hardeft: heart melt to hear the relation of; yet the
Lord was in that darknefs, and he preferved me, and
was forming of me to himfelf j and the tafte I had then
of him was far beyond whatever I had known in the
pureft drain of my religion formerly. And the Lord
powerfully lliut up my underftanding, and preferved
ray life from the betrayer •, but yet that was not per-
fectly deftroyed in me upon which the tempter might
work : and the Lord fuffered him to lay a fnare, and
my feet were entangled unawares, infomuch as the
fimplicity was betrayed, and the flefhly part grew
wife, by thofe exercifes wherewith the Lord had tried
me. This poifoned me j this hurt me ; this ftruck at
the root of my life, and death infenfibly grew upon
me. The devil, the envious feedfman, cozened me
with the image of that, which before I had had in the
truth, opening my underftanding part (by the fubtilty
of temptation and deceit) which the Lord had been
deftroying ; and letting that in, which the Lord had
jQiut out : and then the Lord took away and fhut up
from that part that which before he had opened to the
feed, whereby the way of life became flopped, and
the way of death opened in a myftcry. And then I
could talk of univerfal love, of fpiritual liberty, &c,
and wait for the glorious appearance of life, having
loft that which formerly gave me the fenfe of its
nature ; yea, at length I could feek to the creatures
for what they could yield, and drive to rub out the
time of my mifery without the immediate prefence
of the life of the Creator. And as for this defpicable
people, whom I now own in the Lord, I could mea-
lure them, I could fathom them, I could own their
{landing; and yet fee their ftiortnefs ; and could, with
fatisfadion to my fpirit, write death upon them, as
the end of that difpenfation of life into which I faw
them enter, and m part entered. Here was my ftand-
ing when the Lord drew his fword upon me, and
fmote me in the very inmoft of my foul ; by which
ftroke (lying ftill a while under it) my eyes came to
be o£)ened ; and then I faw the blindnefs of that eye
M 2 which
no The scattered Sheep sought after.
which was able to fee fo far, and the narrownefs of that
heart and fpirit which was fo large and vaft in com-
prehending : and my foul bowed down to the Lord to
flay this, to ftarve this, to make a fool of this ; yea,
my defire was, to prefent fenfe, as great after the death
of this, as after the enjoyment of life in the Lord.
And now this hath opened a frefh fpring of forrow
in me, a mourning over the juft-one, which hath been
flain by me. O how cruelly, how often have I mur-
dered that which came to give me life 1 How often
have I fought to have my own underftanding, my own
comprehenfion, my ov/n will and affe6tions in religion,
live, and the righteous, pure, immortal principle die !
though I did not then call it my own, as other men
do not nowi but took it to be of God, and to be the
thing that was to live. For I alfo was deceived, and
thought the baftard (which was a falfe conception)
was to inherit •, not knowing him to be the baftard,
but taking him for the right heir. And my foul is
exceedingly enlarged in me towards thofe who at this
day lie under the power of the fame deceit ; who have
flain the Lord of life as well as I, and in whom the
contrary nature lives under a covering; who cannot
pofTibly fee that this, which now lives in them, is not
the heir, until the fame eye be opened in them.
The life that was ftirring at the beginning of the
trouble of thefe nations was very precious. It did
unite to God ; it did unite to one another ; it kindled
an univerfal fenfe of the captivity, of the bondage, of
the great opprefiion of Ifrael, and a joint cry went up
to God for deliverance. And God heard the cry, and
arofe to deliver, and did begin to break the yoke,
both outwardly in the nation, and inwardly in people's
fpirits.
But the tempter did alfo fet himfelf on work again
to entangle Ifrael. For this end he brings forth like-
nefies of that which Ifrael defired, and was feeking
after. He brings forth feveral forms of worjfhip, to
allure fome with ; feveral forts of notions, to allure
others with -, feveral frelh appearances of life, of love,
of
The scattered Sheep sought after. hi
of liberty, to tempt the people of God afide from
following that fpirit which role up to deliver. Thus
comes he forth, and prevails ; he divides in Jacob,
and fcatters in Ifrael ; drawing one part to this form,
another part toward that form -, one to this notion,
and another to that notion ; one to this inward image,
another to that fpiritual idol j and all from the life,
all from the power, all from the Saviour, all from the
deliverer, and fo the work flops. It Hops in the na-
tion, and it ftops in people's fpirits ; and men gene-
rally wheel about and enter again, and apply them-
felves to make images like the images they had de-
jftroyed : and fo the captivity returns; Ifrael is turned
back into his bonds, and the fpirit which opprefled
him before, crulheth him again, and rules over him.
And fo great hath the breach been upon Ifrael, that
the i'pirit of the world is become hardened, and thinks
there is an end of this work of God ; and now they
may venture again to fettle both church and ftate upon
the old principles of that wifdom which the Lord was-
fhaking.
And now v/here is the people whom the Lord was
redeeming ? Where is the praying people, the pantinp"
people, the mourning people, the people that could
have travelled from fea to fea to have had the will of
God revealed ? Are they not run into the earth ? Is
not the fpirit of the earth come over them ? Are they
not dividing the fpoils ? The inward Jew, the renew-
ed nature is funk, loft, made a prey of; the Gentile,
the heathenilli fpirit hath rifen up, and feated itfelf in
a form of worfhip, or in fome high notions of know-
ledge, on which that fpirit, which knows not the
tree of life, loves to feed. Some are ftark dead, no
fenfe at all in them, but life quite fwallowed up of
death: others perhaps are ftill prefiing towards the
kingdom; but in the wrong nature, in that which
fhall never obtain : and they may there meet with
fome enjoyments ; but not enjoyments from or of the
true thing, but the likenefs which the enemy hath
painted to deceive them with. And they may alfo
M 3 wait
112 The scattered Sheep sought after.
wait and hope that the kingdom W4ll conne, and yet ht
out of that which knows its coming, and can alone
prepare the heart for its appearance. Yea, fome are
got fo high, that they are even in the throne. They
have the love, the life, the liberty, the joy, the peace
of the kingdom, as they imagine. They can reign as
kings without us, without that nature and principle
wherein our life lies. But thefe mighty ones, thefe
princes, the Lord will pull from their feat, and raife
up the humble, the meek, the low in heart, the beg-
gar from the dunghill, and give to him the throne of
his glory.
Now this my life in love faith to you all, as the
proper and only way of your recovery and redemption.
Come to that which can judge you. " Sion is to be
** redeemed with judgment, and her converts with
*^ righteoufnefs." If Sion be redeemed, if the feed be
again raifed, that fpirit which hath got up above it,
and keepeth it down, muft be judged, and brought
under by judgment. How was Ifrael of old to be
recovered from her idolatries and whoredoms, but by
owning and coming to that light in the prophets which
manifefled and judged them ? Ye alfo have worfhipped
idols ; ye alfo have run a whoring from the Lord, and
have been inflamed with idols under every green tr.ee.
Every new idol, every frefh appearance, tvtry lively
likenefs hath tempted you afide from the living God.
When one way of worfhip hath been dry and barren,
ye have left that : when fome notions of things have
appeared empty and fhallow, ye have been weary of
them; but the next new idol, under the next green
tree, hath drawn you afide into the bed of whoredom,
where ye have loft true fellowfhip with the true God
of life, and have been betrayed of the feed of life,
which he began to quicken and raife from the dead.
Now come to that which judgeth the idol, the idol-
maker, the whorifli fpirit, which tcmpteth afide from
the true hufband, and that fpirit which is liable to be
tempted j and let thefe be cut down by the judgment,
and then the true feed of life will fpring and flourilh
again.
The scattered Sheep sought after. 113
again. There is no other way; be not deceived : that
muft be awakened in you which can judge you, and
muft bring forth its judgment in you unto viflory,
if life in you ever rife and get the dominion over
death. And that fpirit which now rules in you, and
keeps the life down, knows this very well, and there-
fore endeavours all it can to keep you from owning
judgment. He would fain keep the light in others
from judging you. "Do not judge," faith he; "all
*' judgment is committed to the Son." True; but
fliall not the light of the Son judge? Shall not the
light of that candle, which the Lord hath lighted in
one heart, difcover and judge the darknefs in another
heart ? Light doth make manifell, and its manifefta-
tion is its judgment. The uttering of the words is
but the declaration of what the light in the heart hath
done before, and cannot but do : for as long as it is
light, where-ever it comes, it will and cannot but dif-
cover and judge the darknefs it meets with; though
the darknefs cannot own either its difcovery or its
judgment, but mufl needs except againfl it. Now if
he cannot do this (which is utterly impoffible for the
dark fpirit to do) then, in the next place, he fortifies
and hardens the heart as much as he can from receiv-
ing the judgment, by perfuading him to look upon
it as the judgment of another fpirit like his own, and
not as the judgment of the light. And fo what Paul
faid concerning man's judgment (that it was a fmall
matter to him to be judged by man's judgment), the
fame will he fay concerning this judgment. And yet,
as the greateft judgment of man, in the higheft ftrain
of the comprehending part, fliall fall ; fo the loweft
judgment of the light in the weakeft child fhall fland :
and all the exalted ones of the earth Ihall in due time
fall before it; though now, in the prefent elevation
of their minds, they may rife high above it, and
trample it down. Therefore be not afraid to judge
deceit, O ye weak-ones ! but be fure that the light
alone in you judge; and lie very low in the light,
that that part which the light in you judgeth in
M 4 Others
114 The scattered Sheep sought after.
others get not up in you, while the light is making
ufe of you to judge it in others.
And now, ye poor loft fouls, who find the need of
judgment, and any willingnefs within you to embrace
it, wait firft for the rifing of the judge of Ifrael in
your hearts, and in the next place wait for the join-
ing of your hearts to him ; both which are to be
done by his eternal light, which manifefts and gives
his life. In the lowefl Ihining of this light there is
the judgment, and there is the king himfelf, who is
not fevered from the leaft degree or meafure of his own
light. Bow down to him, kifs his feet, know the na-
ture of the thing, and be lubjeft to it: worfhip him
here in his humiliation, receive him in his ftrokes, in
his fmitings, and obferve and turn from that in your-
felves which Imites him, and ye fhall one day fee
him in his majefty, in the power of his love, in his
everlaftiog healings and em.braces. And know affu-
redly, that that which will not worlliip him here, will
not be fit to worfhip him there, nor fhall not ; but
fhall onlv tremble at the dread of his majefty, and he
confounded at the Iweetnefs of liis love, but not be
able to bow down to it in the true life. For that fpi-
rit, which is out of the life, is fliut out in jts higheft
defires, hopes, attainments, enjoyments, feemingly
fpiritual reft, univerfal love, liberty, and peace, as
well as in its darkeft and grofieft paths of pollution.
Therefore wait to know the nature of things, that ye
may not be deceived with the higheft, choiceft, and
moft powerful appearances of death in the exafteft
image of life, nor ftumble at the true life in its low-
eft and weakeft appearance. And this ye can only
attain to by a birth of, and growth up in, the true
wifdom, which flays that fpirit which lives on the
fame things in the comprehenfion, and gathers a ftock
of knowledge and experiences in its own underftand-
ing part. Thefe are words of tender love, and they
will alfo be words of true life, where the Father's
earth opens to drink them in -, to whofe good pleafure
and blefting my foul commends them.
Some
The scattered Shiep sought after. 115
Some Propositions concerning the only Way
of Salvation.
I. /^ E A HAT there is no way of being Javed from fiUy
\ and v)rath eternal^ but by that Chriji alone which
died at Jerufalem. There is no nanne, virtue, life or
power under heaven given, by which loft man may
be faved, but his alone.
1. 'That there is no way of being Javed by him 3 but
through receiving him into the heart by a living faith ^ and
having him formed in the heart. Chrift laves not as he
Hands without at the door knocking, but as he is let
in ; and being let in, he brings in with him that life,
power, and mercy, which breaks down the wall of
partition, unites to God, and faves. The Jews could
not be faved formerly by the belief of a Meffiah to
come, with the obfervation of all the laws and ordi-
nances of Mofes ; nor can any now be faved by the
belief of a Chrift already come, with obfervation of
all that the apoftles commanded or praftifed j but alone
by the receiving of him into the heart, who there
works out the falvation.
3. That there is no way of receiving Chrifi into the
heart J and of having him formed there j but by receiving the
light of hisjprit^ in zvhich light he is and dwells. Keep
out the light of his fpirit, keep out Chrift : let in the
Ifght of his fpirit, let in Chrift: for the Father and
the Son are light, and are alone known and received
in the light; but never out of it.
4. That the wcy of receiving the light of the fpirit into
the heart (and thereby uniting with the Father, and
the Son) is by hearkening tOy and receiving its convi^ions
of fin there. The firft operation of the fpirit towards
man lying in the fin, is to convince him of the fin;
and he that receives not the convincing light of the
fpirit, the work is ftopped in him at the very firft ;
and Chrift can never come to be formed in him, be-
cauff that light whereby he Ihould be formed is kept
out.
ii6 The scattered Sheep sought after.'
out. And then he may talk of Chrift, and pra(51:ife
duties (pray, read, and meditate much), and gather
comforts from promifes, and run into ordinances, and
be exceeding zealous and affectionate in all thcfe, and
yet perifh in the end. Yea, tttf devil will let him
alone (if not help him) in all this, knowing that he
hath him the furer thereby, he being (by the ftrid
obfervation of thefe) kept out of the fear of the dan-
ger of his condition, which otherwife perhaps he might
be made fenfible of.
Objeft. But I may he deceived in hearkening to a light
within ; for while I think that I therein hearken to the
light of the fpirity it may prove but the light of a natural
confcience*
Anfw, I. If it lliould be but the light of a natural
confcience, a.qd it draw thee from fin, which feparates
from God, and fo prepare thee for the underftanding,
believing, and receiving what the fcripture faith of
Chrift.; this is no very bad deceit : but if in the refuk
it fhould prove to have been the light of the fpiritj
and thou all thy life time haft took it for the light of
a natural confcience (and fo haft defpifed, or at leaft
neglefbed, if not reproached it), thou wilt then find
that this was a very bad deceit.
2. I can ftiew thee by exprefs fcripture, that it is
the work of the fpirit to convince of fin, John xvi. 8.
And again, that the law, which is fpiritual, manifeft-
eth that which is corrupt and carnal, Rom. vii. 14.
But where canft thou fiiew me from fcripture, that a
natural confcience can convince of fin ?
3. Let any man give heed to the light in his heart,
he fliall find it to difcover his moft inward, his moft
fecret, his moft fpiritual evils j which a natural light
cannot do : for that which is natural cannot difcover
that which is fpiritual.
4. The apoftle faith, that it is the grace which hath
appeared to all men, which teacheth not only godli-
nefs, but alfo fobriety and righteoufnefs. Tit. ii. 11,
12. The light of the fallen nature is darknefs, can
teach nothing of God. What any man learns now of
the
The scattered Sheep sought after. 117
the true knowledge of God, he learns by grace, which
ihines in the darkncfs of man's nature, to leaven it
with the true knowledge ; though man, being dark-
nefs, can by no means comprehend it, and fo cannot
give it its true name.
Therefore take heed, left (through ignorance) ye
blafpheme the holy light of the pure fpirit ; calling
that natural (looking on it with the carnal eye) which,
with the fpiritual eye, is feen to be fpiritual. For thou
that doft this v/ilt be alfo erring on the other hand,
calling thy carnal meanings and conceivings, about the
mind of the fpirit of God in fcripture, fpiritual. And
he that thus puts darknefs for light, muft needs put
light for darknefs j and then call evil good, and good
evil : and fo err from the fpirit of God in the whole
courfe of his religion, even in the moil inward exer-
cifes of it.
Man, by nature, is dead in trefpailes and fins; quite
dead, and his confcience wholly dark. That v/hich
giveth him the fenfe of his death, and of his darknefs,
muft be another thing than his nature, even the light
of the fpirit of Chrift, fhining in his dark heart and
confcience. It is the feed of the woman which not
only deftroys, but alfo difcovers, all the deeds of the
ferpent. Now this feed, this light, is one in all,
though there have been feveral difpenfations of it.
One to the heathen -, in whom it fprings up after an
hidden manner, even as it were naturally ; from whence
it had the name of the light of nature (though it be
the myftery of life and falvation hid in them. Col. i,
27. this myjiery in the Gentiles; it is ill tranflated,
among). Another to the Jews, in whom it was more
rigoroufly ftirred by a law given j who by types and
ihadows, and righteous exercifes according to the
law, were to be awakened to the living principle,
Micah vi, 8. Another to the Chriftians, in whom it
•was livelily brought forth to light and life, by an ef-
pecial difpenfation of grace; infomrfch as that which
was the myjiery in the Gentiles, and veiled from the
Jews, being opened in them, was found to be Chriji
the
Il8 The stATTERED Sheep sought after.
the hopey Col. i. 27. But under all thefe difpenfations,
the generality of men have fallen fnort of the glory
of God, and milTed of the fubllance. Therefore the
Lord God is now bringing forth the fubitance itfelf,
but under fuch a veil as hides it froin the eye of man's
wifdom, under what difpenfation foever he be, and
how high foever in that difpenfation. To fome it
fcems natural ; to others legal ; to fome it feems from
the power of Satan (or at leaft they pretend fo) j to
others it feems the minifLty of John Baptifb. Thus
men guefs at it in the wifdom of their comprehenfions,
wanting the true line and plummet to meafure it by.
Now, to you who have not waited to learn in the
wifdom of God the names of things (which there are
given according to their nature); but, in the for-
wardnefs of your fpirits, from your gathered know-
ledge, without the living power, have ventured to
call that natural, which in the eternal wifdom is Jeen
to be fpiritual (and which hath been able to efFeft
that, which all that knowledge which ye call fpiritual
could never do), let me propofe the confideration of
one fcripture to your confciences, in the fight of
God.
The fcripture is, that in Job xxviii. 12. to the end.
'* Where fhall wifdom be found? and w'here is the
** place of underftanding ? Man knoweth not the price
** thereof; neither is it found in tl*€ land of the liv-
" ing. The depth faith, It is not in me; and the
<* fea faith, It is not with me. It cannot be gotten
" for gold, neither fhall filver be weighed for the
«' price thereof, &c. Whence then cometh wifdom,
*< and where is the place of underftanding ? feeing it
" is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept clofe
" from the fowls of heaven. Deftru6lion and death
** fay, W^e have heard of the fame thereof with our
<* ears : God underftandeth the way thereof, and he
*< knoweth the place thereof, &c. And he faid unto
" man. Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wifdom j
" and to depart from evil, is underftanding." Now
confider well ;
The scattered Sheep sought after. 119
Firjiy Is this natural wifdom, or fpiritual v/ifdom,
that is thus precious ? What is this^ that dellruftion
and death have heard the fame of? Is it the wifdom
of nature ? Or is it Chrift, the wifdoin of God ?
Secondly^ Where is the place of this ? Where doth
God point man to find this wifdom ? He points him
to the fear. Unto man hejaidy " (lie hath fhewed thee,
" O man ! what is good) Behold the t'ear of the Lord,
" that is wifdom •, and to depart from evil, is under-
** {landing." Go to the fear; there it is taught; that
is the wifdom : learn by the fear to depart from evil ;
that is underftanding. This is it which is fo precious,
which nothing can equalize or value i here is the place
of it, thus it is to be learned : fin overfpreads all the
land of darknefs ; there is no fear of God before mens
eyes there •, there is no learning of the fear there ; all
the wifdom that man can come by, cannot teach it:
he that learneth to fear God, to depart from evil, mufl
learn of Chrift the wifdom of God, and muft deny all
the varieties of the wifdom of man ; which undertakes
to reach it, but cannot.
Thirdlyy What is that in man, which teacheth the
fear ? which teacheth to depart from evil ? Every man
hath in him an eye that fees the evil ; what is that eye,
which the God of this world doth fo flrive to blind,
and doth generally blind ? Every man hath in him an
enemy to evil j one that never confented to it, but
ftill reproves it, and fights againft it, even in fecret :
What is this ? This is no lefs than a ray from Chrift,
the wifdom of God, out of the feat of the fear in every
heart, to lead into the fear, where the law of depart-
ing from iniquity is learned : and fo this ray, beino-
hearkened unto, and followed in the fear, brings up
into the love, into the life, into the light, into the
wifdom, into the power. Do not ftiut your eyes now,
O ye wife ones ! but open your hearts, and let in that
which knocks there, which can and will fave you
being let in, and which alone can fave you. For it is
not a notion of Chrift without (with multitudes of
practices of felf-denial and mortification thereupon)
which
I20 The scattered Sheep sought after.
which can fave ; but Chrift heard knocking, and let
into the heart. This will open the fcriptures aright j
yea, this is the true key, which will truly open words,
things, and fpirits : but he that opens without this key,
is a thief and a robber, and fhall reftore, in the day of
God's judgment, all that he had ftolen : and woe to
him, who, when he was ftripped of what he hath fto-
len, is found naked.
The fcriptures were generally given forth to the
people of God j part to the Jews, part to the Chril-
tians. He that is born of the life, hath a right unto
them, and can read and underftand them in the fpirit
which dwells in the life. But he that is not born of
the fpirit, is but an intruder, and doth but fteal other
mens light, and other mens conditions and experien-
ces into his carnal underftanding ; for which they were
never intended, but only to be read and feen in that
light which wrote them. And all thefe carnal appre-
henfions of his (with all the faith, hope, love, know-
ledge, exercifes, &c. which he hath gained into his
fpirit hereby j with all his prayers, tears, and fafts,
and other imitations), will become lofs to him (for he
muft be ftripped of them all, and become fo much
the more naked), when God recovers his fcriptures
from man's dark fpirit (which hath torn them, and ex-
ceedingly profaned them with his conceivings, guef-
fings, and imaginings) and reftores them again to his
people. The prophets and apoftles, who wrote the
fcriptures, firft had the life in them : and he who un-
derftands their words,, muft firft have the life in him.
He that underftands the words of life, muft firft have life
in himfelf. And the life, from which the words came,
is the meafurer of the words, and not the words of the
life. And when the fcripture is interpreted by the life
and fpirit which penned it, there is then no more jang-
ling and contending about it : for all this is out of the
life; from and in that fpirit, nature, and mind, where
the luft, the enmity, the contention is j and not the
unity, the love, the peace. But this is it which un-
doeth all j the dead fpirit of man reads fcriptyre, and
from
The scattered Sheep sought after. 121
from that wifdom, which is in the death, (not know-
ing the nnind of the fpirit), gives meanings : and from
believing and pradifing the things there fpoken of
(which death may do, as well as fpeak of the fame)
gathers an hope that all Ihall be well at laft for Chrift's
lake; though it feel not the purification, the cleanfing,
the circumcifion, which cuts off the body of fin and
death here (for it is not to be cut off hereafter), and
fo gives an entrance into the everiafting kingdom,
where the King of Righteoufnefs is feen, known, and
worfhipped in fpirit.
The Fundamental Principle of the Gospel.
I JOHN, i. 5.
*^ This then is the mefiage which we have heard of
" him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and
** in him is no darknefs at all."
THIS was the meflage which Chrift gave his
apoftles, to make way into mens hearts by : this
is the firft thing that is proper for the mind to receive,
which lies in the darknefs ; namely, that there is no
darknefs in God, nothing but light. Darknefs is ex-
cluded from him, and the mind that lies in darknefs
cannot have union or fellowfhip with him. Therefore
he that will be one with God, and partake of his life,
muft come out of the darknefs, which hath no place
with God, into the light where God is, and in which
he dwells.
The work of the Son is to reveal the Father, and
to draw to the Father. He reveals him as light, as
the fpring of light, as the fountain of light, and he
draws to him as light. When he gave to his apoftles
the ftanding meflage, whereby they were to make him
known to the world, and whereby men were to come
into fellowfliip and acquaintance with Iiim ; this is it,
" that God is light, and in him is no darknefs at all."
Cjirift
122 The scATtERED Sheep sought after.
Chrifl: Jefus, the Son of God, he is the image of his
fubftance, the exa6t image of tliis light, the light of
the world, who is to light the world into this fub-
ftance. So that as God the Father is to be known as
light, fo Chrift the Son alfo is to be known as light.
He is the only begotten of the Father of lights, the
only image wherein the eternal fubftance is revealed
and made knov^n. And he that receives this image,
receives the fubftance ; and he that receives not this
image, receives not the fubftance.
Now there is a breath or fpirit from this fubftance,
in this image, which draws to the image ; thus the
Father draws to the Son ; and the image again draws
to the fubftance j thus the Son draws to the Father.
And fo hearkening to this breath, the mind and foul
is led out of the darknefs, into the image of light
(which is the Son), and by the image into the fub-
ftance : and here is the fellowftiip which the gofpel
invites to. Joining to this breath, being transform-
ed by this breath, living in this breath, walking in
this holy infpiration, there is an unity with the Fa-
ther and the Son, who themfelves dwell in this
breath, from whom this breath comes, in whom this
breath is, and in whom all are, who are one with
this breath.
This breath purgeth out the dark breath, the dark
air, the dark power, the myftery of death and dark-
nefs; and fills with the breath of light, with the
breath of life, with the living power, with the holy
pure myftery.
Now, as the Father is light, and the Son light; fo
this breath, this fpirit which proceeds from them both,
is light alfo. And as the Father, who is light, can
alone be revealed by the Son, who is light ; fo the
Son, who is light, can alone be revealed by the fpi-
rit, who is light.
He then who hears this meffage, that God is light ;
and feeleth himfelf darknefs, and in darknefs, and is
willing to be drawn out of the darknefs into fel-
lowftiip
The scattered Sheep sought after. 123
lowihip with God, who is light-, this is requifite for
him to know •, namely, how he may be drawn out,
who is it that draws, and which are the drawings ;
that he may not refifl or neglcd them (waiting for
another thing) and fo mifs of the true and only
palTage unto life. Wherefore, obferve this heed-
fully.
None can draw to the Father, but the Son;
none can draw to the Son, but the Father : and
both thefe alone draw by the fpirit. The Father,
by his fpirit, draws to the Son ; the Son, by the
fame fpirit, draws to the Father : and they both draw
by the fpirit as he is light, as he is their light
lighted to that end. For as the Father is light, and
the Son is light ; fo that fpirit which draws them
muft be light alfo. He is, indeed, the breath of
light, eternally lighted, to draw to the eternal image
of light, and then to the eternal fubflance, which
eternally dwells in that eternal image.
Queft. But how may I know the fpirit, and its ope-
rations ; that I may follow him^ and be led by them,
both to the Son and to the Father ; and fo come into
the everlajling fellowjhip ?
Anfw. The fpirit is to be known by thofe motions
and operations which are proper to him; which flow
alone from him, and from nothing elfe.
Queft. V/hat are they ?
Anfw. Convincing of fin, and reproving for fin ;
which nothing can truly difcover and reprove, buc
the light of the fpirit. Darknefs cannot make mani-
feft darknefs, but whatfoever maketh manifeft is
light. All the difcoveries of darknefs, in the hidden
world of the heart, are from Chrift the fun of right-
eoufnefs, by his fpirit, what name foever men may
give it J who know not this fun, nor its light, nor
the true names of things in the light; but have named
even the things of God in the dark, and according to
the dark apprehenfions and conceptions of their own
imaginary mind. But this I fay to fuch, who are fcx
Vol. I. N ready
124 "^HE SCATTERED ShEEP SOUGHT AFTER,
ready to beat their brains and difpute, leave contend-
ing about nannes i conne to the thing, come to that
which reproves thee in fecret, follow the light that
thus checks and draws ; be diligent, be faithful, be
obedient; thou Ihalc find this lead thee to that, which
all thy knowledge out of this (even all that which
thou calleft fpiritual light) will never be able to lead
thee to.
And when thou art joined to this light, it will ihew
thee hinn whom thou haft pierced (even fo as never
yet thou faweft him), and open a frefh vein of blood
and grief in thee, to bleed and mourn over him ;
and work that repentance in thee, which thou never
waft acquainted with before ; and teach thee that faith,
to which yet thou art a ftranger; and teach thee that
felf-denial, which will reach to the very root of that
nature which yet lives; even under that, and by means
of that, which thou calleft fpiritual light; and will
lay fuch a yoke on thy neck, as the unrighteous one
is not able to bear -, yea, fuch an one as the hypo-
crite (which is able to hide it under confeffions of
fin, and forms of zeal, knowledge, devotion, and
worfhip) ftiall be daily tormented and wafted with.
And then thou ftialt know what it is to wait upon
God in the way of his judgments, and find the pow-
ers of life and death ftriving for thy foul, and daily
floods and ftorms encompafting and attending thee,
tinder which thou wilt affuredly fall and perilh, un-
lefs the everlafting arm of God's power be ftretched
out for thee, and be continually redeeming thee.
And then thou wilt feel and fee how fin is pardon-
ed, and how it is bound; how death brake in upon
Adam, and how it daily breaks in upon mankind ;
and what that ftandard is, which the fpirit of the Lord
lifteth up againft the powers of darknefs. And then
thou wilt come clearly to perceive, how that which
thou haft called religion formerly (which flowed not
from this principle) hath been but the invention of
thine own imaginary mind (though thou fatheredft
it
i
The scattered Sheip sought afterT 125
it upon the fcriptures, as moft men do moft of their
inventions about doflrine and woilhip), wherein thou
haft been in a dream of being changed, and yet re-
maineft ftill the fame in nature : and haft had a name
that thou haft lived, but art ftill dead j a name of
being fandified, but ftill unclean ; a name of being
juftified, but ftill condemned by the light in thine
own confcience j which is one with him who is thy
judge, and who will judge according to it: and fo,
as that which is real taketh place in thee, fo that
which hath been but imaginary will pafs away.
N a A SHORT
[ 126 ]
A SHORT
CATECHISM
FOR THE SAKE OF THE
SIMPLE-HEARTED
OU E S T. What is the eflate and condition of all men
by nature, as they are begotten of the feed of the
evil-doer., and come out of the loins of the fir ft Adam ?
Anfw. A ftate of fin and darkncfs j a ftate of death
and miferyj a ftate of enmity againft God j a ftate
accurfed from God ^ expofed to his wrath and mod
righteous judgments, both here and hereafter.
Queft. What brought Adam to this ejlate? and what
keeps the fons of Adam in it ?
Anjw. Feeding on the tree of knowledge, from
which man is not excluded to this day, though he is
from the tree of life.
Queft. How came Adam at firfl, and how come men
ftill to feed on the tree of knowledge ?
AnJw. From a luftful appetite and defire after the
forbidden wifdom, fown in their hearts by the envious
enemy of their fouls j who is continually twining about
this tree, and tempting men and women to eat of it,
perfuading them that the fruit thereof is good for
food : and indeed it is very defirable to their eye, and
promifcth
A SHORT CATECHISM. 127
promlfeth fair to make them everlaftingly wife, but
Hill faileth.
Queft. What is the forbidden fruit ?
Anfw. It is knowledge without life ; knowledge in
the earthly part •, knowledge acquired from below,
not given from above. This promifeth to make men
as God, and to give them the ability of difcerning and
diftinguifhing between good and evil, which is God's
peculiar property. Eating of this fruit undid Adam,
iindid the Gentiles, undid the Jews, undid the Chrif-
tians J they all feeding on the tree of knowledge, and
departing from the life in their feveral difpenfationSo
Quefl. How doth this fruit undo man P
j4nfw. The wifdom and knowledge, which they thus
gather and feed upon, perverts them ; makes them
wife in the wrong part; exalts them againft the lifej
dulls the true appetite, and increafes the wrong appe-
tite ; infomuch as there is not fo much as a defire in
them after God in truth; but only to get knowledge
and wifdom from what they can comprehend. By
this means, whatfoever was afterwards ordained to
Jife, became death to man. Thus the Gentiles liked
not to retain God in their knowledge, but fell by their
difpenfation •, provoking God to call them off, and
give them up to the vanity of their imaginations.
And thus the Jews, whom God then chofe, fell like-
wife by their difpenfation ; God for this caufe giving
them up to their own hearts lull, and rejecting them
from being a people. And the Gentiles, whom God
ingrafted into the true olive, in the Jews ftead^ they
alfo, after the fame manner, fell by their difpenfation.
Thus each of thefe fell by gathering wifdom from thp
letter, but miffing of the life in every of thefe dif-
penfations.
Quell. IFhat is the food which man fiould feed on ?
Anfw, The tree of life j the word which liveth and
abideth for ever, which is in the midft of the garden
of God ; which word was made fiefh for man's weak-
nefs fake^ on which fleffi the living foul feeds, and
N 3 whofc
128 A SHORT CATECHISM.
whofe blood the living fpirit drinks, and fo is nourllh-
ed up to eternal life.
Queft. But had Adam this food to feed on? and was
this to be the food of the Gentiles y JewSy and Chrijiians, in
their feveral difpenfations ?
Anjw. God breathed into man the breath of life,
and man became a living foul : and nothing lefs than
life itfelf could fatisfy his foul at firft, nor can to this
day. Kvery word of God that cometh frefh out of
his mouth, is man's food and life. And God fpeak-
eth often to man, (hewing him what is good: but he
cannot rclifh or feed on this, but defireth fomewhat
elfe, through the error and alienation of his mind.
And what God fpeaketh now to man (if that be man's
life) Adam had much more of it before his fall.
And for the Jews, Mofes tells them the word was
nigh them, in their heart, and in their mouth : and
Paul alfo tells the Chriilians fo. So that the word is
not far from any man, but mens ears are generally
flopped againft it, by the fubtilty of the ferpent which,
at firft deceived them.
Queft. But did not the Jews feek for eternal life^ in
reading and Jludying the fcriptures under their dijpenfation ?
and do not the Chrijiians now feek for life^ and to feed on
Ufe?
Anfiv. Yea they did, and do in their own way, but
they refufe it in God's way. Thus Adam, after he
had eaten of the tree of knowledge, would have fed
on the tree of life alfo j but he was ftiut out then,
and fo are Chriftians now. And if ever they will feed
on the tree of life, they muft lofe their knowledge,
they muft be made blind, and be led to it by a way
that they know not.
Queft. This is too myjlerious for me i give me the plain
littrnl knowledge of the fcriptures.
Anfw. Is not the fubftance a myftery ? Is not the
life ihere ? The letter of any difpenfation killeth : it
is the fpirit alone that giveth life. A man may read
the letter of the fcriptures diligently, and gather a
large knowledge therefrom, and feed greedily there-
on«
I
i
A SHORT CATECHISM. 129
on ; but it is only the dead fpiric which (o feeds, but
the foul underneath is lean, barren, hungry, and unfa-
tisfied, which when it awakes, it will feel.
Queft. But may not the deadfpirit as well imagine my^
fieries in every things and feed t hereon ?
dnfw. Yea it may ; and the error here is greater
than the former: but in waiting in the humility and
fear, to have the true eye opened, and the true my-
ftery revealed to the humble and honeft heart, and in
receiving of that in the deraonftration of the fpirit,
out of the wifdom of the flefb, here is no error j but
the true knowledge, which fprings from life, and
brings life,
Quefl. How may I come at this myfiery ?
Anjxv. There is but one key can open It ; but one
hand can turn that key ; and but one veflel, but one
heart, but one fpirit, which can receive the know-
ledge.
Queft. How may I come by (hat heart?
Anfiv. As thou, being touched with the enemy, didfl:
let him in, and didft not thrufl him by, with the
power of that life which was ftronger than he, and
nearer to thee ; even fo now, when thou art touched
and drawn by thy friend (who is nigh), and thereby
findeft the beginning of virtue entering into thee, give
up in and by that life and virtue, and wait for more;
and dill as thou icdt?t that following, calling, and
growing upon thee, follow on in it, and it will lead
thee in a wonderful way out of the land of death and
darknefs, where thy foul hath been a captive, into
the land of life and perfect liberty.
Quell. But can I do any thing toward my own/aha^
tion ?
Anjw. Of thyfelf thou canft not: but in the power
of him that worketh both to will and to do, thou
mayft do a little at firft : and as that power grows
in thee, thou wilt be able to will more, and to do
more, even until nothing become too hard for thee.
And when thou haft conquered all, fufFered all, per-
formed all i thou ihaU fee, and be able vndcrftand-
N 4 ingly
ijo A SHORT CATECHISM.
ingly to fay, thou haft done nothing •, but the eternal
virtue, life, and power, hath wrought all in thee.
Queft. I perceive y hy what is faidy that there is a Sa-
viour i one which hath virtue, life, and power in him to
Jave ', hut how may I meet with him F
Anjw. Yea, he that made man pitieth him, and is
not willing that he fhould perifh in the pit into which
he fell, but hath appointed one to draw him out, and
fave him.
Queft. Who is this Saviour ?
Anfw. He is the tree of life I have fpoken of all
this while, whofe leaves have virtue in them to heal
the nations. He is the plant of righteoufnefs, the
plant of God's right hand (haft thou ever known fuch
a plant in thee, planted there by the right hand of
God) ? He is the refurredion and the life, which rai-
feth the dead foul, and caufeth it to live. He is the
fpiritual manna, whereupon the quickened foul feeds.
Yea, his fiefti is meat indeed, and his blood is drink
indeed, which he that is raifed up in the life feeds
on, and findcth the living virtue in them, which fa-
tisfieth and nouriftieth up his immortal foul.
Queft. But hath not this Saviour a name ? What is his
mme?
AnJw. It were better for thee to learn his name by
feeling his virtue and power in thy heart, than by rote.
Yet, if thou canft receive it, this is his name, the Lights
the Light af the World y a light to enlighten the Gen-
tiles, that he may convert and make them God's
Ifrael, and become their glory. And according to his
office, he hath enlightened every man that com.eth into
the world J though rnen neither know the light that
cometh from him, nor him from whom the light comes;
and fo, notwithftanding the light is fo near them, re-
main ftrangers to it, and unfaved by it.
Queft. Why doji thou call him the light ? Are there not
other names every whit as proper^ whereby he may as well
be known ?
AnJw. Do not thus fet up the wife and ftumbling
part in thecj but mind the thing which firft puts forth
its
A SHORT CATECHISM. 131
its virtue as light, and fo is thus firfl: to be known,
owned and received. Yet more particularly, if thou
haft wherewith, conlider this reafon : we call him
light, becaufethe Father of lights hath peculiarly cho-
fen this name for him, to make him known to his
people in this age by, and hath thus made him mani-
feft to us. And by thus receiving him under this
name, we come to know his other names. He is the
life, the righteoufnefs, the power, the wifdom, the
peace, &c. but he is all thefe in the light, and in the
light we learn and receive tliem all ; and they are none
of them to be known in fpirit, but in and by the
light.
Que ft. How are the other names of Chrifi known in and
ly the light ?
Anjw. Letting in the light (which convinceth of,
and warreth againft fin) the life ftirs and is felt; and
the life leads to the word which was in the beginning,
and giveth the feeling of that alfo. And in the word,
the righteoufnefs, the peace, the wifdom, the power,
the love is felt ; and he is made all thefe to thofe who
are led into and kept in the light. And when the
powers of darknefs appear with mighty dread, and
there is no ftrength to withftand them, this lifts up a
ftandard againft- them, and calms all the tempefts,
and cures all the wounds and difeafes of the foul,
anointing it with the evcrlaftiqg oil ; fo that now I
can fenfibly, and with clear underftanding, call it my
Saviour, the captain of my falvation, my Chrift, or
anointed, my hufband, my king, my Lord, my God.
Queft. Where doth this light jhine'i
Anjw. In the darknefs at firft; but when it hath
vanquiftied, expelled, and difperfed the darknefs, it
ihines out of it.
Queft. What is that darknefs wherein the light
JJjines ?
Anfw. Man : man's heart, man's confcience, man's
fpirit. This is the world, which Chrift, the Son of
righteoufnefs, is the light of, in every part whereof
he caufeth the rays or beams of his light to fliine at
his
134 A SHORT CATECHISM.
his pleafiire \ though in no part the darknefs can com-
prehend the lead fhining of his light.
Queft. How then can it ever be converted thereby ?
Anjw. The darknefs is not to be converted. Every
man in this ftate is reprobated, and the wrath abideth
on him. So that the darknei's is rejefled, and man
in the darknefs; but m,an touched by the light, made
fenfible of it, and following it in the life and power
which it begets, is drawn out of the horrible pit, and
faved,
Queft. How may I do to find the light in the midfi of
the darknejs of my heart j which is fo great j and this feed
fo JmalVi
Anfw. By its difcovering and warring againft the
darknefs. There is fomewhat which difcoverech both
the open and fecret iniquity of the corrupt heart, fol-
lowing it under all its coverings of zeal, holinefs, and
all manner of voluntary humility and felf-righteouf-
nefs, with which the true light never had unity ; and
ibmetimes may caufe fecret mifgivings that all is not
well, but there may be a flaw found in this covering,
and in the end it may prove too narrow for the foul.
This which thus warreth againft the darknefs, to bring
people off from all falfe foundations to the true and
living foundation, this is the light; and thus thou
mayft find it, at fome time or other, at work in thy
heart, if thou mind it.
Queft. Having found the light, how may I come to feel
ibefaving virtue and power of it '^
Anfw. By believing in it. For the virtue and pow-
er fprings up in the heart that believes in it.
Queft. How can I believe in it ? Am not I dead?
Anfw. There is a creating, a quickening power in
the light, which begets a little life, and that can an-
fwer the voice of the living power.
Queft. 7'eaj if I could find any fuch thing begotten in
me, then I might be drawn to aj'ent that that (though
never fo Jmall) might believe \ but Jurely my dead hear^
rtever can,
Anjw^
A SHORT CATECHISM. 133
Anfiv. Haft thou never found a true honeft breath-
ing towards God ? Haft thou never found fin not an
imaginary, but a real burden ? This was from life :
there was fomewhat begotten of God in thee, which
{t\t this. It was not the flefti and blood in thee j but
fomewhat from above. And if this had known the
fpring of its life, and not been deceived from it by
the fubtilty, it would have fed upon, and have grown
up in, the virtue and power of the fpring from whence
its life came.
Queft. Why theUj hy this, all men have power to be-
lieve.
Anfw. In the light which ftiines in all, and vifits all,
there is the power; and this power ftrives with the
creature to work itfelf into the creature; and where
there hath been the leaft breathing after life, there hath
been a tafte of the power: for this came from it.
But the great deceiver of fouls lifts up mens minds in
the imagination to look for fome great appearance of
power, and fo they flight and overlook the day of
fmall things, and neglect receiving the beginning of
that, which in the iffue would be the thing they look
for. Waiting in that which is low and little in the
heart, the power enters, the feed grows, the kingdom
is felt, and daily more and more revealed in the power.
And this is the true door and way to the thing; take
heed of climbing over it.
Queft. What is it to believe in the light?
Anfw. To receive its teftimony either concerning
good or evil, and fo either to turn towards or from,
in the will and power which the light begets in the
heart.
Queft. How will this fave me ?
Anfw. By this means ; that in thee which deftroys
thee, and feparates thee from the living God, is daily
wrought out, and the heart daily changed into the
image of him who is light, and brought into unity
and fellowftiip with the light, pofTelling of it, and
being poffeiTed by it j and this i& falvation.
Queft.
134 A SHORT CATECHISM.
Queft. JVe thought falvation had been a thing to hehe-
fiowed hereafter, after the death of the body ; but if it be
thus, then falvation is wrought out here.
Anfw. So it is, even in all that are faved ; for there
is no working of it out hereafter, but here it is wrought
out with fear and trembling j and the believer, who
is truly in unity with the life, daily changed from
glory to glory, as by the fpirit of the Lord.
Queft. But fhew more 'particularly how faith, or belie"
ving in the light, worketh out the falvation.
Anfw. Firft, it caufeth a fear and trembling to feize
upon the finner. The Lord God Almighty, by the
rifing of his light in the heart, caufeth the powers of
darknefs to Ihake, the earth to tremble, the hills and
mountains to melt, and the goodly fruit-trees to caft
their fruit ; and then the plant of the Lord fprings up
out of the dry and barren ground, which, by the dews
and fhowers from above, thrives, grows, and fpreads
till it fills God's earth.
2. In this fear and trembling the work of true re-
pentance and converfion is begun and carried on.
There is a turning of the foul from the darknefs to
the light ; from the dark power to the light power ;
from the fpirit of deceit to the fpirit of truth ; from
all falfe appearances and imaginations about holinefs,
to that which the eternal light manifefteth to be truly
fo. And now is a time of mourning, of deep mourn-
ing, while the feparation is working; while the
enemy's flrength is not broken and fubdued, and while
the heart is now-and-then feeling itfelf ftill hankering
after its old lovers.
3. In the belief of the light, and in the fear placed
in the heart, there fprings up an hope, a living hope,
in the living principle, which hath manifefted itfelf,
and begun to work. For the foul truly turning to
the light, the everlafling arm, the living power is
felt ; and the anchor being felt, it (lay's the foul in all
the troubles, ftorms, and tempefts it meets with after-
wards} which are many, yea, very many,
4. Faith^
A SHORT CATECHISM. 135
4. Faith, through the hope, works righteoufnefs,
and teaches the true wifdom ; and now the benefit of
all the former trouble, anguilh, and mifery begins to
be felt, and the work goes on fweetly. All the un-
righteoufnefs is in the darknefs, in the unbelief, in the
falfe hope. Faith in the light works out the unrighte-
oufnefs, and works in the righteoufnefs of God in
Chrift. And it makes truly wife, wife in the living
power J even wife againft the evil, and to the good,
which no man can learn elfewhere.
5. In the righteoufnefs, and in the true wifdom
which is received in the light, there fprings up a
love, and an unity, and fellowfhip with God the Fa-
ther of lights, and with all who are children of the
light. Being begotten by Chrift the light, into the
nature of the light, and brought forth in the image,
there is an unity foon felt with God the Father, and
with thofe who are born of the fame womb, and par-
take of the fame nature. And here is a willingnefs
and power felt in this love, to lay down the life, even
for the leaft truth of Chrift's, or for the brethren.
6. Belief in the light works patience, meeknefs,
gentlenefs, tendernefs, and iong-fuffering. It will
bear any thing for God, any thing for mens fouls
fake. It will wait quietly and ftilly for the carrying
on of the work of God in its own foul, and for the
manifeftation of God's love and mercy to others. It
will bear the contradiction and reproach of finners,
ieeking their good, even while they are plotting,
contriving, and hatching mifchief ; laying many fubtil
fnares, and longing thereby to entrap the innocent.
7. It brings peace, joy, and glory. Faith in the
light breaks down the wall of darknefs, the wall of
partition, that which feparates from the peace, that
which caufeth the anguifli and trouble upon the foul,
and fo brings into peace. Chrift is the Ikilful phyfi-
ciani he cures the difeafe by removing the caufe.
The unfkilful phyficians they heal deceitfully ; crying.
Peace, peace, when there is no peace, while that which
breaks the peace is ftanding : but Chrift doth not fo,
but
t36 A SHORT CATECHISM,
but flays the enmity in the heart by the blood of his
crofs, fo making peace. And this is true peace, and
certain peace.
Now finding the clods of earth removed, the enemy,
the difturber, the peace-breaker trodden down, the
fin taken away, the life and power prefent, the foul
brought into the peace j here is joy, unfpeakable joy !
joy which the world cannot fee or touch, nor the
powers of darknefs come near to interrupt. Here is
now no more crying out, O wretched man ! and who
Ihall deliver 1 &c. but a rejoicing in him who hath
given viftory, and made the foul a conqueror j yea,
more than a conqueror. Wait to feel that, thou who
art now groaning, and opprefTed by the mercilefs pow-
ers of darknefs.
And this joy is full of glory; which glory increaf-
cth daily more and more, by the daily fight and feel-
ing of the living virtue and power in Chrift the light;
whereby the foul is continually transformed, and chan-
ged more and more, out of the corruptible into the
incorruptible ; out of the uncircumcifion, the Ihame,
the reproach, into the circumcifion, the life, the
glory.
Queft. Doth the light do all this ?
Anjw. Yea, in them that turn towards it, give up
to it, and abide in it. In them it cleanfeth out the
thicknefs and darknefs, and daily transformeth them
into the image, purity, and perfection of the light.
And this nothing can do but the light alone.
Queft. What makes men generally Jo averfe from the
light ?
Anfw, Their unity with the darknefs, which the
light is an enemy to, difcovering and difturbing it.
Queft. But wife men^ knowing men, men who are look'
ed upon as having moji lighty they alfo are enemies to this
light i and /peak hardly of it.
Anfw. Was it not alv/ays fo ? Did any of the rulers,
or wife fcribes and teachers of the law, believe in him
formerly ? And is it any wonder ii fuch believe not in
him now I
Queft.
A SHORT CATECHISM. 137
Que ft. What may be the renfon why the wife men for-
merly have noty and now cannot^ believe in the light ?
Anjw. There are two great reafons for it^
1. Becaufe they cannot comprehend it. They can
comprehend the knowledge which they can gather out
of the book of nature, or out of the books of the law
and prophets, or out of the books of the evangelifts
and apoftles : but they cannot comprehend the light
which all thefe teftify of. So that fuch a kind of
knowledge they can receive j but the light they can-
not; for it is not to be comprehended j but gathereth
into itfelf, and comprehendeth.
2. Becaufe it is an utter enemy to them. It will
not wink at the clofeft of their evils, nor fpeak peace
to them therein. Their own gathered knowledge may
fpeak peace to them; but this will not. Thus the
Jews could fpeak peace to themfelves, from temple,
ordinances, and facrificesj though they walked in the
ftubbornnefs and uncircumcifion of their hearts, refill-
ing the checks and motions of the Holy Spirit there.
And thus the Chriftians can fpeak peace to themfelves,
from a belief and hope through Chrifl's dying at Je-
rufalcm (though they know not him in them, and are
at a diftance, and not one with that in their hearts
which is of Chrifl:, and in his power and authority
checks and reproves for fin) \ but the light will not
fpeak peace fo, but only where the virtue of the liv-
ing blood is felt, cleanfing away fin.
Queft. But there are many ■profejjorsy firi5l profejfors,
who without doubt have once tajied of the living virtue i
what makes them fuch enemies to the light ? For there
are none fpeak more againfi it than they.
Anfw. Becaufe they are fallen from what tliey once
had ; for if they were in that living principle, which
once gave them a true tafte of life through the fcrip-
tures, they could not but know and own the light,
which was the thing which gave them the tafte, and
would have preferved their relilh, had they known how
to turn to it, and abide in it,
2. The
138 A SHORT CATECHISM.
2. The light is a witnefs againft all their know-
ledge and religious practices, and imitations from the
fcripture, which they hold and pradlife out of the
light, in the unrighteoufnefs, even in that part which
is not to know or be the worfhipper. And can ye
blame them, that, when the light is fo great an ene-
my to them, they all turn head againft it ? How is
it poffible that, having fiain and murdered the juft
one in themfelves, they fliould acknowledge and give
him his due honour in others ?
Queft. But have the Jiri£i prof ejfors, who pretend great
things in honour of Chrijl, murdered him in themfelves ?
Anfw. Yea, verily, as really as the Scribes and Pha-
rifees and people of the Jews put him to death at
Jerufalem : for what they do to the leaft appearance
of his light in their hearts, they do it unto him.
Yea, our Lord Chrift, at this very day, is as really
crucified in their fpiritual Egypt and Sodom, as he
was without the gates of Jerufalem. And his righte-
ous blood cries as loud againft the profefTors of this
age, as ever it did againft the Jews j and they are
hardened againft him by a conceited knowledge, which
by their imaginations they have gathered from the
fcriptures, juft as the Jews were; but the eye in them
can no more fee it, than the eye in the Jews could.
Queft. Surely if they knew the light to be the only liv-
ing wayy they would not bejuch enemies to it.
Anfw. Yea, I believe concerning them (as was faid
concerning the Jews) that if they knew it, they would
not crucify the Lord of glory \ for 1 bear many of
them record, that they have a great zeal, though not
according to knowledge. But at prefent very fad is
their ftate ; for the God of the world hath blinded the
eye in them, which alone can fee the truth ; and with
that eye wherewith they now ftrive to fee, they fhall
never fee with comfort. Yea, fo exceeding grofs and
thick are many of them become, and their hearts fo
fat, that inftead of feeling the want of the fpirit of
God in themfelves, and mourning after it, they can
mock at the appearance of it in others ; and fpeak
contemptuoufly
A SHORT CATECHISM. 139
contemptuoufly of a light within, where Chrift faith
the light is: for, faith Chrift, take heed that the light
which is in thee be not darknefs -, for if, &c. Luke
xi. 33^ 3^'
Queft. But will not they reply, that they do not oppofe
(much lefs mock at) the light of the Jpirit, but only that
which ye ignorant ly call the light of thefpirit ?
Anfw. If we have found it to be the light of the fpi-
rit, and to work that in us and for us which no other
light ever could, do not blame us for giving in our
teftimony that it is that light. And take heed how
ye reproach us with ignorance, feeing many of us have
pafled through all that which ye call knowledge ; but
our light is a new and ftrange thing to you, and ye are
not yet able to judge it.
Queft. But may not men obtain eternal life by reading
theJcriptureSi without knowing or owning this principle of
the light ?
Anfw. The true end of mens reading the fcriptures,
is to turn them to the light. The fcriptures contain
meflages concerning God, concerning Chrift, concern-
ing the fpirit ; the end whereof is to turn men to the
power and life, which can do the thing for them ;
which God, which Chrift, which fpirit, fill all things,
and are within in the heart, as well as without. The
word is nigh thee in thy heart, and in thy mouth,
faith Mofes to the Jews, faith Paul to the Chriftians.
And to what end do they tell them it is there ? But
that there they ftiould wait upon it, to hear its voice,
and to obey it. Now mark j though men could prac-
tife and perform all things mentioned in the fcrip-
tures; yet not being turned to this, they are not in
the way of falvation : for the way of falvation is not a
peculiar path, or courfe of ordinances and duties pre-
fcribed in the fcriptures ; but it is a new way, a living
way, a way that the wifeft profelTors out of it never
knew (I will lead them in paths they have not known).
So chat while men know not, nor are turned to, the
light and pOwer whereof the fcriptures teftify, all their
reading of the fcriptures, praying, and pradifing or-
VoL. I. O dinances
I40 A SHORT CATECHISM.
dinances and duties there mentioned, are but in vairr,
and in the end will prove but a falfe covering, and
not the covering of the fpirit.
Queft. But how did men do formerly ? for this is hut a
late notion about the light. Have none ever been faved
that have not embraced this notion ?
Anjw. I fpeak not of embracing a notion ; but of
turning to the thing itfelf, without which none ever
was, or can be faved : for it is that alone can fave,
and it faves only them that are turned to it. Now if
any man fo read the fcriptures, as thereby to learn to
turn to this, he may feel that which will work falva-
tion in him, though he know not its name. For as
darknefs, being turned to, works death in a myflery,
though its name be not known, but it may appear
and be taken for light j fo light, being turned to,
works life in a myftery, although he in whom it works
ihould not be able to call it by its name.
Queft. '^hen by this a man may he faved, though he
fhould not know the literal name Jefus, or the literal name
Chriji, &c.
AnJw. The names are but the fignification of the
thing fpoken of-, for it is the life, the power (the being
transformed by that) that faves, not the knowledge of
a name. And Chriftians mightily deceive themfelves
herein : for they think to be faved by believing a re-
lation concerning Chrift, as he appeared in a flefhly
body, and fufFered death at Jerufalem. Whereas
Chrift is the fame yefterday, to-day, and for ever; and
the faving knowledge reveals him, not only as he
was then, but as he was the day before, and will be
for ever. And this knowledge is alfo revealed in the
fcripture j but they are fo drowned in the letter,
wherewith the carnal part is fo filled, that the fpiritual
eye cannot open in them to fee : fo that which was
ordained for life, becomes death to them, and they
perifh; they perifh juft as the Jews didj for their
eyes are withheld, by a wifdom which they have grown
up in from the letter, from the beholding the myftery
of
A SHORT CATECHISM. 141
of life in the fpirit, which alone can work out and
fave from the myftery of death.
Queft. But did not God formerly work life in men by
their reading of the fcriptureSy and by the preaching of
fuch godly minifiers as are now defpifed^ and accounted
antichriflian ?
Anjw. When men read the fcriptures formerly, in
the times of thick darknefs, and when fome of thofe
(who were not made minifters according to the order
of the gol'pel) preached in the fimplicity of their hearts,
"according to the bed light of their feeling and expe-
rience, the Lord pitied the fimplicity of their hearts,
and fecretly refreshed this principle in them by fuch
reading, and by fuch preaching. But now this prin-
ciple is made manifeft, their reading and fetting up a
knowledge of the fcriptures without this (which was
the thing even then from whence they had their life),
yea, in oppofition to this, this increafeth their death
and bondage, and fhuts them out of life.
Quell. Welly I will keep to the fcriptures ^ and wait for
light there^ let who will follow this new light.
Anfw. Wilt thou keep to the fcriptures, in oppofi-
tion to that light, which alone can give the knowledge
of the fcriptures ? What kind of knowledge wilt thou
gather from the fcriptures ? Not a knowledge which
will humble thee, and cleanfe thine heart; but a know-
ledge that will puff thee up, and fit thee for the Daugh-
ter. While thou art from the light, thou canfl: not
know the fcriptures, nor the power of God j but art
exalting thine own imaginations, conceivings, and
reafonings, without the fenfe of fcriptures. And this
thou wilt one day know with forrow, when God calls
thee to an account for thy boldnefs, in putting fenfes
and meanings upon his words without his light.
Queft. / am almoft far tied.
Anfw. Many have fallen, and more muft fall ; for
the ftiarp axe of the Lord is prepared to cut down
every profeffor, with all his profeffion and religious
pradtices, and imitations from fcripture, which Itand
not in the pure life. Happy art thou, if thou now
O 2 fall
142 A SHORT CATECHISM.
fall by that hand, which now llrikes at many in great
loving-kindnefs and mercy, that he might raife them
up again, and fix them firm on the true foundation :
but miferable are thofe whofe eyes are withheld till
the day of their vifitation be overflipt, and fo they
continue keeping their corrupt ftanding, and confi-
dence in their flefhly knowledge of the fcriptures :
for they alfo muft fall j but their fall will be other-
wife.
Mind therefore this my fingle-hearted advice :
Let thy religion be to feel the pure principle of
life in the pure vefiel of life; for the eye muft be pure
that fees the life, and the heart that receives it. And
faith is a pure myftery, and it is only held in a pure
confcience. Know that in thee that purifies thee, and
then thou knoweft Chrift, and the Father, and the
Spirit; and as that lives and grows up in thee, fo fhalt
thou know their dwelling-place, and partake of their
life and fulnefs.
Babylon
I
I
Babylon the Great defcrlbed.
The CITY of CONFUSION,
In every Part whereof Antichrist reigns;
Which knoweth not the Order and Unity of the Spirit,
but ftriveth to fet up an Order and Uniformity ac-
cording to the Wifdomof the Flefh, in all her Terri-
tories and Dominions,
Her SINS, her JUDGMENTS.
With fome plain Qu E r i e s further to difcover her ; and feme Con-
fiderations to help out of her Suburbs, that her inward Building
may lie the more open to the Breath and Spirit of the Lord, fronv
I which it is to receive its Qonfumption ai>d Overthrow.
• Alfo an Exhortation to the Powers, of the Earth.,
By Isaac Penington the Younger.
That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find out ? I and
mine heart corapafTed to know, and to fearch, and to feek out
wifdom, and the reafon ; and to know the wickeduefs of folly,
even of foolifimefs and madncfs. And I find more bitter than
death the woman whofe heart is fnare^ and nets, her hands bands.
He that is good before God fh:ill efcape from her; but the finnec
fhall be taken by her. Ecclef. vii. 24, 25, 26.
lit that is born of the pure immortal feed, and lives in the anoint-
ing, efcapes the golden cup of fornication, and all the painted
beds of fornication, and is not defiled with women. Rev. xiv. /^,
but remains chafte tp the bridegroom.
o 3
Lo this is the city which is built up of and filled with images and
likenefTesof the ways and truths of God, without the life and
power.
On her outfide there is the likenefs of a church, the likenefs of a
miniftry, the likenefs of the ordinances, duties, and ways of
holinefs.
On her infide there is the likenefs of the good knowledge, the like-
nefs of repentance and converfion, the likenefs of faith, the like-
nefs of zeal for God, the likenefs of love to God and his faints,
the likenefs of the lamb's meeknefs and innocency, the likenefs
of j unification, the likenefs of fanftification, the likenefs of
mortification, the likenefs of hope, peace, joy, reft, and fatif-
faftion, &c. but the fubllance, the truth, the virtue of all thefe
is wanting to her ; and fhe herfelf is found perfecuting that very
thing (where it is found in truth) the image whereof Ihe cries
up.
This, this is the woman that hath bewitched the whole earth for
thefe many generations, and is ftill changing her drelTes and
paints, that fl-ie might ftill bewitch people, and fit as a queen
reigning over their confciences ; but blefted be the light which is
arifen to difcover, and the power which is able to overthrow this
ftately, this lofty, this mighty city, and all that take part with
it.
The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth in Sion ; and antichrift, with
his city Babylon, falleth. Sing praifes, fing praifes, O inhabi-
tant of Sion ! to him who fubjefteth Babylon, with all her glory,
under thy feet.
For he bringeth down them that dwell on high ; the lofty city he
layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bring-
eth it even to the duft. The foot ftiall tread it down ; the feet of
the poor, the fteps of the needy. Isaiah xxvi. 5, 6.
I
THE
[145 ]
THE
PREFACE.
THERE hath been in me a zeal for God from
my childhood, and a moft earned fearch into
the fcriptures (which my foul deeply relilhed, and my
heart honoured and loved, and ftill doth) for the reve-
lation of the mind and will of God. Two things did
I earneftly fearch and beg for : the one was for the dif-
covery of the outward way of worfhip; the other for
the inward life, virtue, and power, which I looked
upon the outward as the proper means to lead me to.
At the beginning of the troubles in thefe nations, there
was a lively flirring in me, and an hope that God was
bringing forth fomewhat. I likewife felt the fame
ftirring in many others, at which my heart was re-
joiced, and with which my foul was refrefhed ; but I
found it foon begin to flag and wither, which forced
me to retire, and to feparate from that where I found
the life and power dying and decaying. In my fepa-
ration the Lord was with me j my foul remembereth
it right well ; and he had regard to the fimplicity,
honefty, and integrity of my heart, which he himfelf
had kindled in me. And though I fell too foon into a
way df church. fellowfhip and ordinances ; yet he had
regard to me, and pitied me, and refrefhed my life
even there. But at length the form overgrew us, and
the fweet and precious life in us began to die. Then
the Lord found out another way to refrefli us (namely,
O 4 by
146 PREFACE.
by a fenfible relating of our conditions, and of his
dealings with us, and workings in us), which was
very fweet and precious at firft ; but the enemy crept
in there alfo. Out of this ftate I never made any
change ; but here the hand of the Lord fell upon me,
ftriking at my very root, breaking all niy life in fun-
der, and trampling my crown in the duft. Then I
became a man of forrows (being dripped of all my
life, faith, hope, joy, comfort, in one day) not know-
ing which way to look, nor what to defir£. Some-
times there were breathings ftirring in me, but they
were prefently judged ; fometimes a little glance of
refrefhment from a fcripture prefented to me; but
fuddenly taken away, and my death and darknefs in-
creafed thereby. Then fhould I wifli, O that I might
appear before his throne ! for furely my confcience is
clear in his fight, and 1 have not wickedly departed
from my God, but was broken in pieces by his hand,
even while my foul was earneftly feeking after him.
0 how my foul did mourn, to fee how I was fit to be
made a prey to every ravening fpirit 1 and many did
feek to devour me, but the hand of the Lord was
with me, preferving me, though I knew it not. And
though I was wholly broken, and defolate of all that
1 had called, or could call, knowledge (infomuch that
I could not call any thing either good or evil), yet
the Lord, by a fecret inllinft, preferved me exceed-
ingly out of that which was evil, and kept my heart
fecretly panting after the fountain and well-fpring of
good, Yea, when I was at length (through deep
defpair of ever meeting with God any more in this
life) captivated by the world, and betrayed by the
love of it (which at laft rofe up in me, and gained
upon me, by perfuading me that my prefent eftate
and condition did require the free ufe of it, and the
enjoyment of all it could afford), yet the Lord
followed me, and often was I vifited with fecrec
loathings of the world, and turnings from it, and
pantings after the fpring of my life : but thefe were
dreaded by \x\t, and fuddenly quenched by the evil
part^
PREFACE. 147
part, for fear of that mifery and unutterable anguifh
which I had felt hereby 3 the rennembrance whereof
was frefh in me.
In this nny courting of the world, and eftrangement
from the life, the reafoning part (which the Lord had
been long battering, and had laid very low) gathered
ftrength in me; and I began to grow wife again, and
able to judge of the things of God, and to hope and
wait for fome great appearance, wherein at length I
might be vifited, and meet with that which 1 fo vehe-
mently defired, and Hood in fuch need of. Thereby
the enemy deeply deceived me, pleafmg me herev/ith,
and keeping me hereby from unity with that which
alone was able to give me the fight of him, whenever
he fhouid appear. And in this fiefhly wifdom I judged
aud defpifed the true life In others ; as weak, low, and
not able to bring them to that which I ftood in need
of, and waited for. Yea, the more I confidered and
reafoned in my mind, and the more I converfed with
them (hoping thereby to find fome clear ground either
of owning or turning from them), the further ofi^ ftill
was I ; till at length the Lord powerfully touched, and
raifed up the life in me (which by all thefe reafonings
and confultations, all this while, I flew) ; and then
by degrees (waiting upon that), I faw, I felt, I tailed,
I handled, as the Lord plcafed to open to me here,
that ^hich was Ihut out from me in my narroweft
fearch and clofeft reafonings. Thus the Jew in mc
was caft- ofi^, and the Gentile called : but who can read
this ? I am fure the eye of man's religious wifdom
cannot.
Hereby my eyes have been opened, and I have (ecn
the fetters, whereby I have been held captive from my
life all my days : yea, many of the ftreets and cham-
bers of Babylon hath mine eye beheld (in the pure
life), wherein the witch dwells which enchanteth from
the life; yea, I have heard the tongue of the falfe
prophet, which fpeaketh fo like the true prophet, as
no flefh can difcern or diftinguifh between them : yea,
J have feen the dragon in the temple, worfhipped there
for
I4S PREFACE.
for God, by the flridtefl fort of profeflbrs. And now,
in tender bowels, in the true light of life, from the
pure movings of the eternal fpirit (as the Lord plca-
feth to guide and dire(5l) do I come forth to vifit my
poor fellow-creatures and captives in Babylon. And
what I have feen and known, I teftify for the relief of
others, that if it be pofTible (by the mercy and good
hand of God) they may efcape that mifery wherewith
my poor foul hath been overwhelmed, and may come
out of that filthy abominable city which God is mak-
ing defolate; where the pure life, the conquering
faith, the fuffering love, the purifying hope, the put-
ting off of the body of fin, the putting on the living
garment, is not nor cannot be witnelTed, buit men are
only dreaming of thefe things in Babylon » where all
the fatisfaftion they have, is from the pieafure of their
dream j but when they awake they will find leannefs^
and penury, and nakednefs upon their fouls.
A DE-
[ 149 ]
DESCRIPTION
O F
BABYLON,
For the Sake of the
DAUGHTER OF SION
7
Which at prefent dwelleth in the midft thereof.
Now, though the world be deaf and blind (even all
forts of worldly profefTors, from the highefb to the
lovveft), yet open your ears, and hear the joyful
found i open your eyes, and fee the city of defola-
tions, and of all the abominations of the earth (both
of flefh and fpirit) ; and feel in yourfelves what it is
which is to be led out, and what is to lead you;
that your feet may be guided to, and fet firm upon.
Mount Sion j where the life rules over all her ene-
mies.
BABYLON is the fpiritual fabrick of iniquity, the
myflical great city of the great king of darknefs ;
built in imitation of Sion y painted jujl like Sion^ that it might
be taken for Sion^ and be worjhipped there ^ inftead of the
true eternal ever -living God, and king of Sion.
This is the feat of the man of fin : where there is a
building framed in any heart, or in any fociety of men,
like
150 Babylon the Great described.
like Sion ; there he lodges, there he lives, there he
fits as god, there he reigns, there he is worfliipped,
there he is exalted above all that can truly be called
God in that heart, or in that fociety.
1. // is a city. This is a proper parable, to difco-
ver the myflery of iniquity by in this flate 3 it is juft
like a city, in its kind it is a city. In a city there are
feveral ftreets j in the flreets, houfes ; in the houfes,
feveral rooms, to which families and perfons appertain ;
and to all thel'e there are laws and governments. Thuii
it is here \ there are many ftreets in this city of Babylon,
many houfes in every ftreet, many roorrvs in every
houfe j and the houfes and rooms have their feveral
families and perfons appertaining to them ^ and they
have their laws and governments, their knowledge of
God and Chrift •, their order, their worfliip, their dif-
cipline in which they walk, and by which they order
themfelves in their feveral fervices, places, offices,
and employments, under the king of Babylon.
2. // is a Jpiritual or myjiical city. It is not an out-
ward building of earthly materials, but an inward
building of inward materials. As the outward Sion,
the outward Jerufalem, is palTed away in its ufe ?i]nd
fervice j fo the outv/ard Babylon is out of date too,
(Ye need not look fo far for it). And as God hath
built up an inward city, a fpiritual building i fo hath
the king of darknefs likewife. (He could never have
tempted from the city of the living God, from the
city of the myftery of life, but by the city of the my-
ftery of deceit). And as God builds his city of hewn
ftones, of fquared ftones, of living ftones ; fo alfo
hath the king of darknefs his hewings, his fquarings,
his preparations, his qualifications for his buildings.
If the light break forth, and make it appear too grofs
to have the whole nation a church, or to admit an
•whole parilh to ordinances, he will gather a church
out of the nation, and feleft fome of his choicer ftones
out of the parifh ; yea, he may grafp in fome of the
ftones of the true temple, if they come within his
reach and circle j that is, if they look abroad, if they
ftep
Babylon the Great described. 151
ftep forth, and keep not clofe to the anointnig with-
in, which is the great and only ordinance of the
faints prefervation fronn anti-chrifl's power : for if they
ftep forth but fo much as into a prayer againft anti-
chrift, out of this, they are caught in his fnare, and
are ferving him in that very prayer, which they may
feem with great earneftnefs and zeal to put up againft
him,
// is a great city ; an overfpreading city, a city that
overfpreads the earth. As Sion was a vaft city, a city
that did overfpread the nations (how did the faith of
the gofpel over-run the world in the apoftles days !)
fo this city hath alfo over-run the world. Indeed it
hath taken up the whole territories and dominions of
the otJier city (and hath enlarged itfelf further), and
Sion hath been laid in the duft, and trodden under-
foot. And though many witneftes, prophets, and
martyrs, have mourned over her, yet none have been
able to raife up the tabernacle of David, which hath
fallen down, nor to recover Sion to this day ^ but
Babylon hath had the power over her. Look with the
true eye, and behold how all nations, kindreds, tongues,
and languages, have been drunk with fome or other
of the mixtures of this falfe woman's cup (fome of
them over, and over, and over again), and have been
inhabitants of this city, crying her up (thouo-h not
all in her grofs habit, but fome in her more refined
ftiapes and transformings) for the true church, for
Sion i whereas, alas! fhe hath only Sion's drefs, Sion's
ftiape, Sion's outward garment (which is the likenefs
wherein ftie lies in wait to deceive), but not Sion's
fpirit.
4. // is a city of iniquity j of hidden Iniquity. That
which is hid in this city, it is not the life, it is not
the righteoufnefs, the holinefs of the faints ; but ini-
quity, fin, tranfgreflion of the life. Look into any of
theftreets of Babylon, into any of the houfes, any of
the rooms, any of the chambers of darknefs j there is
fin there; there is unrighteoufnefs there ; there is not
one cleanfed heart to be found there i not one pure
eye
152 Babylon the Great described.
eye to behold the God of life is to be found there?
but in every heart fin in a myftery, iniquity in a myf-
tery, unrighteoufnefs in a myftery. They feem to be
for God and Chrift, and to be cleanfed by them ; but
uncleannefs lodges in them, and fin rules in them
againft God, and againft his Chrift in a myftery ;
which their eye cannot fee, and fo muft needs mif-
take their ftate. Yet this is the true ftate of Babylon,
in all the parcels of it ; it is the unclean city, where
purity of heart and life cannot be known j but though
it be wafhed and transformed ever fo often outwardly,
yet ftill it remains inwardly polluted -, that which de-
fileth keeping pofTefiion and dominion there in a
myftery. The living water, the living blood, runs
not in any of the ftreets of this city, fo that there
can be no true cleanfing there. Nay, fuch ftrangers
are the choiceft inhabitants of Babylon to the foun-
tain of life in Sion, to the river that cleanfeth and
healeth, that they cannot fo much as believe that
there is a pofllbility of cleanfing and perfeft healing,
and making found and whole here, while on earth.
There is great talk of thefe things (of the water, the
blood, the cleanfing) in all the regions of Babylon
(which hath heard of the fame, and forms to itfelf a
likenefs) ; but the thing itfelf is not to be found there,
and fo the virtue, which comes from the thing itfelf
alone, cannot be felt there.
And here, in this there is a great difference be-
tween the vefl^els of Sion, and the veftels of Babylon.
The veflels of Sion, they are weak, earthen, foolifh,
contemptible to the eye of man's wifdom (which
cannot look for any great matter of excellency there) ;
but the treafure, the liquor of life in them, is pre-
cious. The veflfels of Babylon make a great fhew,
appear very holy, very heavenly, very zealous for
God and Chrift, and for the fetting up of his church
and ordinances all over the world. Thus they appear
without i but they are fepulchres -, there is rottennefs
within : under all this there lodgeth an unclean, an
unfandified heart j an heart unfubdued to the fpirit
and
I
Babylon the Great described. 153
and power of the gofpel, while it makes fuch a great
fhew of fubjedion and obedience to the letter.
5. It is the city of the king of darknefsy of the great
king of darknefs, of the prince of the power of the air,
who rules univerfally in the darknefs, in the myftery
of iniquity throughout, even in every heart. Where-
ever is fin, there is Satan's throne ; and there he hath
his laws, his government, his power, in every heart
of his dominion. And where there is the leafl: fubjec-
tion to him, he is yet a prince ; his building is not as
yet there wholly thrown down ; he is not there as yet
difpoflefled and cad out. As long as there is any
thing left wherein he may dwell, he knows his own,
and keeps his hold of it. It is his right, and he will
not lofe it. All fin, all darknefs, is properly his :
it is his feat, and he hath the government there. Man
is the land where thefe two kings fight ; and whatever
is good and holy belongs to the one king, and what-
ever is evil and unclean belongs to the other ; and
there is no communion or peace between them ; but
each keep their own, and gather of their own unto
themlelves. And where the fight is once begun be-
tween thefe, there is no quietnefs in that land, till
one of thefe be difpofl^effed : but then there is either
the peace of Babylon, mofl: commonly under a form
of holinefs ; or the peace of Sion, in the fpirit, life,
and power.
6. This city was built (and is daily built) in imita-
tion of Siony painted juji like Sion. The intent of its
building was to eat out Sion, to fupprefs Sion, to
withdraw from the truth by a falfe image, and to keep
her inhabitants in peace and fatisfaftion, under a be-
lief and hope that it is the true Sion ; and therefore it
mufl: needs be made like Sion, elfe it could no way
fuit thefe ends. Every ftreet mufi: be like the flrreets
of Sion; every houfe like the houfes of Sion; every
tribe and family like the tribes and families of Sion ;
every perfon like the perfons in Sion ; all the laws,
ordinances, &c. like the laws and ordinances of Sion;
the worlhip like the worlhip in Sion; the faith like
the
J54 Babylon the Great described.
the faith of Sion ; the painted Chrift like the Chrift
of Sion i all that go for truths like the truths of Sion ;
they would not deceive elfe j Babylon would be foon
feen through elfe, and become quickly defolate and
forfaken, did (he not lay her paint very thick, and
with great art and fliill. Now here's the wifdom,
here's the true eye tried, to fee through all the paints
of this city, in all the Ihapes and forms of it ; to
turn from every ftreet, every houfe, every chamber,
every image and falfe appearance of truth ; every falfe
appearance of ordinances and ways of worfhip; every
likenefs of things which this fpirit forms from the
letter-, every duty that it thus calls forj every pro-
mife of fcripture which it endeavours to apply to that
to which it belongs not, that it might lull the foul
afleep, and cozen and deceive it of the thing promif-
ed : here, I fay, is the true eye tried to turn from ail
this, and to wait for the raifing and redeeming of the
true feed of Sion, and for the fpringing up of the true
life and power in it and from it : for as long as this
fpirit can deceive you with any likenefs, ye fhall
never know the truth, nor come to theworfliip of the
true living God, which alone is in the fpirit, and in
the truth.
7. 'The end of all this, of Satan's building up this
city, this great city (thus accurately in the power of
deceit, and in the very likenefs of Sion) was, and is,
that it might be taken for Sion^ and be ijuorjljipped there
as Gody and that without jealoufy or fufpicion. And
he hath attained his end ; his city hath deceived and
doth deceive, it pafieth current for Sion among all
the inhabitants of Babylon j almoft every fort of peo-
ple cry it up for Sion, in one appearance or other,
though all do not cry up the fame appearance i but
their own image, way, and worihip, every one extols;
their own image of the truth for the truth ; their own
way of worihip for the way ; their own church and
family for the church and family of God. And wor-
fhipping here, they worfhip him, and not the Lord ;
for the Lord cannot be worfhippcd in any part of Ba-
bylon ;
Babylon the Great described. 155
bylon J but the king of Babylon is worfliipped in Ba-
bylon> and the king of Sion alone in Sion. Ah ! how
deeply do men deceive their fouls ! they think they
believe in God, they think they pray to God, and hope
to be owned at length by God, and yet are fo far from
coming out of myilery Babylon, that it was never yet
fo much as difcovered to them j but they have either
walked in the way of religion and worfhip they were
brought up in, in the apoftafy, or perhaps have re-
moved out of one or two of the broad ftreets of it,
and fo thereby think they have left Babylon -, when-as
the fame fpirit hath fat down in another ftreet of the
fame city, building up another houfe by the diredlion
of the king thereof, and there worlhipping the fame
fpirit as they did before j but their fouls never knev/
tht fire in Sion^ ajid the furnace in Jerufaletni by which
the very inwards of their fpirits muft be cleanfed, be-
fore the pure eye of life be opened which can fee
Sion.
Now, becaufe ye are more able to receive things
from fcripture-expreflions, than from the nature of the
thing itfelf, fpoken as it is felt in the heart (concern-
ing which much more might be faid, were ye able to
bear it) confider a few fcriptures.
Babylon is called a great city, Rev. xvi. 19. and a
great and mighty city, chap, xviii. 10. O the power of
deceit in that city, to bewitch from the life! O the
multitude of lying wonders that are there fhewn in
the heart, to make a man believe that he is in the
life ! to perfuade men that the king thereof is the king
of Sion ! and that the laws and ordinances of worfliip
there, are the laws and ordinances of Sion ! that the
prayer there, is the prayer of the true child ! that the
believing there, is the true faith ! the love there, the
true love ! the hope there, the true hope, &c. Some
parts of Babylon, Ibme likenefles of truth there, are
io taking, that none but the cleft, by the opening of
the eternal eye, can efpy the deceit.
And it is a fpiritual city, a myftical city, a city
built by the working of the myfiery of iniiiuity^ 2 Thef,
Vol. I. P ii. 7.
156 Babylon the Great described.
ii. 7. whereupon Ihe is called myjlery^ Rev. xvii. 5.
It is not a city of plain wickednefs, but a city of fin
hid ; of fin keeping its life under a covering, under
a form of godlinefs j of fin reigning in the heart un-
der zealj under devotion, under praying, believing,
worfhipping, hoping, waiting, &c. Where fin lies
hid within under thefe, there is Babylon ; there is the
myftery of witchcraft ; there is the painted throne of
.Satan •, there is fpiritual Fgypt and Sodom, where the
Lord of life is daily crucified. This is the city, the
myfi:ical city, the fpiritual city, Rev. xi. 8. And here
is building up and throwing down continually. She
builds ; the fpirit of the Lord confounds, then down
goes her building ; then up with another, then down
again. This is her courfe without end, when the fpi-
rit of the Lord difturbs her ; for otherwife fiie can
fettle in any form of knowledge or worfliip ; though
in her ordinary courfe fhe hath alfo many changes and
turnings J one while this or that being a truth, ano-
ther while not j one while this or that being the fenfe
or meaning of fuch a fcripture, another while not.
Babylon is hardly ever without this kind of building
up, and throwing down.
And this city is a great city, a city fpread over all
the earth. " She made all nations drink of the wine
" of the cup of her fornication," Rev. xiv. 8. The
womany which is this ciiyy (Rev. xvii. 18.) " fat upon
" peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues,"
Rev. xvii. 15. She fat upon them as queen, as prin-
cefs, guiding them in their knowledge and worfhip
of the king of Babylon. And thofe that once hated
her, and made war with her, and burnt her flefh with
fire, file cozened them with a new paint, got them
into her new bed of fornication, and made them v/or-
fhip the king of Babylon again. Rev. xvii. 12, 13.
and ver. 16, 17. and there they lay committing
whoredom with her, till the time of her laft burn-
ing and utter defolation ; but then they forfook her,
for fear of her torment, when they faw the fmoke of
her burning, Rev. xviii. 9, 10.
In
Babylon the Great described. 157
In the temples of this city (for in all the ftreets
thereof, yea in every houfe, there are temples) anti-
chrift fits as god, and is worfhipped, 2 Ihef. ii. 4,
*' He, as Godj fitteth in the temple of God, (hewing
*' himfelf that he is God." He hath clothed himfelf
like God, he appears like God (like the holy pure
fpirit of life and power), he appears in the temple of
God, he fits there, he rules there, he gives forth laws
and ordinances of worfhip and devotion. Yea, if any
one will queftion his godhead, or his right to do thus,
he will prove it, he will make it manifeft in the very
temple of God, that he is God : '^ He, as God, fit-
teth in the temple of God, fliewing himfelf that he is
God." He hath exalted himfelf into the throne,
above all that is called God ; he harh got into the
temple, he fitteth there as God, and there he maketh
it manifeft to all his worfhippers that he is God ; in-
fomuch as, among all the inhabitants of Babylon, he
is acknowledged and worfhipped, and the true fpirit
of life is hid from their eyes, and denied and cruci-
fied. He hath Jhewed himjelf that he is God; he gives
demonftrations of his godhead, which that eye which
is out of the life cannot but acknowledge and take
to be true. There is none can fee and acknowledge
the true God, the true Chrift, but thofe that have
the true eye, the true anointing '■ (no man can fay
" that Jefus is the Lord, but by the holy fpirit,"
I Cor. xii. 3) ; and yet how many can fpeak great
words of God, and of Chrift, who know not what
belongs to the anointing ? Alas ! alas 1 all nations
and forts of profefTors, out of the life, are cozened
with the devil's demonftrations, with antichrift's de-
monftrations, with the whore's demonftrations, with
the falfe prophet's dem.onftrations, which are undenia-
ble to that wifdom wherein they ftand, and to that
eye wherewith they look to fee.
Now mark this : antichrift's cominsr, when firft
perceived, was very mighty, exceeding ftrong. 2
Thef. ii. 9, 10. " Whofe coming is after the work-
" ing of Satan, with all power, and figns, and lying
P a " wonders.
158 Babylon TrtE Great described,
** wonders, and with all deceiveablenefs of unrightc-
" oufnefs," &c. Weigh the thing well. Satan ufed
all his art, and all his ftrength, to conceive and bring
forth this myftery of iniquity, fo like the myftery of
godlinefs, that it might pafs for current in the world,
and he rule as God in it. JVith all power^ &c. no
power of deceit wanting; he did not fpare for figns,
and lying wonders ; yea, he gave power to the bead
to do wonders and miracles, even to make fire come
down from heaven on the earthy in the fight of men (which
was the fign and wonder whereby the God of Ifracl
was diftinguifhed from Baal ; power to work this very
fign Satan gives to the bead, to confirm the godhead
of the dragon and antichrift with). Rev. xiii. 13, 14.
Thefe are the things men look for; fee but great
power, figns, miracles, they are fatisfied. The whole
world (lands ready to be deceived with this. Yea,
and if the eye be nor opened in perfons, which can
diftinguilli of power, they muft needs be deceived.
Signs, wonders, and miracles had their place in the
firft covenant, and were to that part to which the firft
covenant was j not to them that believe, but to them
that believe not. Now after the full demonftration
of the truth by figns and miracles, the power of Sa-
tan rifeth up ; and by lying figns, wonders, and mi-
racles overturneth the truth. Now the unbelieving
part in man experts and calls for figns and miracles,
and fays they will determine the controverfy, and fet-
tle the ftate of the church again; but that partis
not to prefcribe God his way : yea, he will fleal as a
thief upon thee, whofe eye is abroad, and looketh for
demonllrations without.
And as antichrift got up thus, fo antichrift will go
out thus. He will raife up this power, and what ly-
ing figns, wonders, and miracles he can, to defend
himfelfwith, now the fpirit of the Lord is rifen up
to difpofTefs him, and caft him out of the houfe which
he hath long lodged in. And he that can be cozened
with power, with figns, with lying wonders (which
are lying becaufe they come from the fpirit of deceit,
witli
Babylon the Great described. 159
with an intent to deceive, though they nnay come to
pafs, and appear true to man's eye, Deut. xiii, i, 2,
3.) or with any of the deceivablenefs of unrighteouf-
nefs, fhall never come out of Babylon ; but only be
tranflated into fome of the more refined chambers of
it, and fed with fome more frefh likenefles of truth,
where he fhall ftill remain an inhabitant and worfhip-
per in fome image, perhaps of univerfal love, life,
and liberty, and yet be out of the life, out of the
love, out of the liberty of the truth, which ftands in
the power and prefence of the fpirit of God, and not
in the moil refined image or likenefs.
" All the world wondered after the beaft, and they
*' worfhipped the dragon which gave power unto the
*' beaft, and they worfhipped the beaft," Rev. xiii. 3,
4. The dragon is the devil ; the beafi is that fpirit of
the earth which he raifeth up, and feeds in men with
a form and appearance of truth ; to which he gives
his power, his feat, and his authority : and every man
hath a meafure of this according to his ftate and
condition, place and fervice in Babylon. And now
what a man doth here in religion, be he ever fo de-
vout and zealous, and frequent in ordinances and
duties, is the worfliip of this fpirit, and of the dragon
who fits and rules in this fpirit. I am run into hard
exprefTions, very hard, becaufe the nature of thefe
things is hid from mens eyes, and they are in the mift
of antichrift's raifing, in the fmoke which comes from
the pit, where there is no opening of the true eye,
nor no true fight of things; but truly if ever you
efpy the dragon, the beaft, antichrift, the whore, the
falie prophet, ye muft look at home, and read with-
in i and there having found the thing, and feen it in
the true light, ye will be able to fee it certainly a-
broad alio. Now do not go about to diftinguifti
thefe things in the notion of the underftanding; but
come to feel the life, to unite with the life, and the
eye will open which can fee into the nature of things,
and will behold all in its feafon ; for that eye which
is fo eager to fee, (hall never fee thefe things i but
P 3 thac
i6o Babylon the Great described.
that eye alone which waits in ftilnefs and quietnefs on
the pleafure and good-will of the opener.
Now all this time, while Babylon {lands, while
antichrift fits in the temple, while Satan reigns over
all the antichriftian world, the true and living God
hath not been known, feared, nor glorified j but mens
knowledge hath been of a falfe god they have fet up,
and him they have feared, and given the glory to, in
their worfliip. Nay, the gofpel hath not been preach-
ed ; the true gofpel, the everlalling gofpel, the gof-
pel wherein is the light and power of eternal life, to
turn men from all antichriftian forms of knowledge
and worfhip to the true life and power : but when
Babylon falls, and Mount Sion begins to appear again,
then the gofpel is to be preached again, even by an
angel, who receiveth it from God himfelf. Rev. xiv.
6, 7. for man could never recover it again : it re-
quires a new infpiration. " The law is to go forth
" out of Sion, and the word of the Lord from Jeru-
«' falem. And this gofpel is to be preached " to
" every nation, kindred, and tongue, and people,"
ver. 6. Mark: there was not one nation, not one
kindred, not one tongue, not one people that kept
the everlailing gofpel j but it was laid up in Sion ;
it was carried with the church into the wildernefs, and
there it hath been hid all the time of the apoftafy,
fince the days of the apoftles. But now Sion is re-
deeming, the true woman bringing back again out
of the wildernefs, fhe brings back the true everlafting
gofpel with her ; and there is an angel chofen in the
power of the Lord (even in the fame power and fpirit
that firft preached it) to preach it again to every na-
tion, kindred, tongue and people. And the Lord hath
fo ordered it, that he will have the voice of this an-
gel as defpicable to the wife in religion, to the zea-
lous in devotion of all forts in this backfliding age,
as tne former preaching was to the wife and devout
both among the Jews and Greeks. So that whofoever
is wife in religion according to the fleftij whofoever
is wife in expedlation and waitings for the kingdom ;
whofoever:
Babylon the Great described. i6i
whofoevcr is wife in reafoning about it, and can tell
the foregoing figns of it, &c. fhall not know the
voice : but he that can Hint his eyes by the leadings
of the pure life, and enter into the hidden womb of
wifdom, where the light of life is fown, he fhall be
new formed, and come forth a child out of the womb
of wifdom, with the new eye, the new ear, the new
heart, the new underftanding and fenfes ; and keeping
in the childiih fimplicity, out of the wifdom, zeal,
and devotion which deceived him before, he fhall re-
ceive and enter into the everlalling kingdom.
Therefore all people wait humbly for the candle of
the Lord, that therewith ye may fearch out Babylon,
and may come to fee what of her treafures ye have
gathered; that ye may throw them away fpeedily, and
give up your fhips and veffels (wherewith ye have
trafficked for thefe kind of wares) to the fire of the
Lord's jealoufy ; that ye may receive the durable
riches; that ye may hear the joyful found of the ever-
lading gofpel, and know the true Chrift which it alone
reveals ; and come to fear, and worfhip, and glorify
the true God -, and not go down into the pit or lake
with the dragon, the beaft, the whore, and falfe pro-
phet, which will be the portion of the moft zealous
falfe worfhippers. And when your eyes come once
to be opened in the true light, ye will blefs the Lord
for giving you thefe warnings, and not be fo angry
at us (who have paid dear for them) for our willing-
nefs, if it be poflible, to faveyou fome of the charges
they have coft us : however, at leaft to preferve your
fouls from that ruin and dreadful deltruflion which
all the paths of Babylon lead tg.
P 4 The
i62 Babylon the Great described.
The SINS of BABYLON.
Although, in the foregoing defcription, fome of the
fins of Babylon have been touched at; yet I find
my fpirit further drawn forth ^ (in a way of fervice
to the Lord and his people) to take a further view,
both of them, and fome other of her fins.
TH E fins of Babylon, by the fpirit of life (which
hath righteoufly meafured and knoweth them)
are referred to thefe two heads, fornication and abomi-
nation. She allureth the fpirit of the creature into
a fl:range bed, and there it a6ts filthily and abomina-
bly with this ftrange fpirit. Now of thefe there are
two forts ; firft, fome more open and manifeft ; fe-
condly, fome more hidden and fecret, hard (yea, ut-
terly impoflible) to be difcerned, without the fhining
forth of the pure light of life.
All forts of men are eftranged from the life ; under
the whole heaven is the Lord God forgotten, and his
holy and pure law and way of life ; and filthinefs and
abomination is committed every-where. Now all this
filth (even the common filth of the earth) fprings
out of Babylon, hath its rife from her womb. Were
it not for her, the found of life would be heard even
among the heathen, and they would not be fuch ftran-
gers to him that made them ; nor would they adl fo
contrary to thofe leadings and teachings of the fpirit
of God (who is the God of the whole earth) y which
the darkeft parts are not without. It is fhe which
withdraws their minds from the pure glimmerings
that rife up in them, fetting up another god in their
eyes, and heathenifh fottifh ways of fear, worlhip,
and devotion : and under this fhe makes them filthy
and polluted, unclean in their minds and in their
bodies, brutifh in their knowledge and in their prac-
tices; " for fhe is the mother of harlots, and abomi-
** nations of the earth," Rev, xvii. 5. Look what of
pride.
Babylon the Great described. i6
v>
pride, of vanity, of cruelty, of envy, of wrath, of
luft, of covetoufnefs, of idolatry, of blafphemy, &c.
is to be found any-where among men upon the earth,
Ihe is the mother of it all. All the common filth and
Itench of the earth fprings out of this womb, this
fecret womb, this hidden womb : for though, in this
her open and vifible appearance, fhe be manifeft to
the eyes of many j yet to thofe children of hers who
are thus conceived, brought forth, and bred up by
her, Ihe is a myftery of iniquity, and they perceive
her not fo much as here, and fo cannot efcape this
her openly polluted bed.
Secondly, The whore hath more fecret fornications
and abominations. Where (he can pafs thus, fhe need
not paint either herfelf or her warej but where need
requires, fhe hath her paint, fhe hath her delicatesfor
the curious eye. Rev. xviii. 3. She hath her cinna-
mon, odours, ointments and frankincenfe for the nice
fcent; fhe hath her fine flour and wheat, &c. for the
fine palate; and gold, precious ftones, pearl, and vef-
fels of ivory, and all manner of veflels of moft pre-
cious wood, for the more ftately worn:iipper; as well
as of brafs and iron for the more common. Rev.
xviii. 12, 13. She can paint both herfelf and her
ware, fo ^s to make them taking to the eye of all
flefh. She can fo mingle her cup, as fliall pleafc
every palate but that which is truly living; and caft
fuch a colour upon her abominations, as no eye that
is without can fufped •, but takes with every young
man that is hunting abroad, aqd knows not the fpring
of life in himfelf. So that all the deceits in reli-
gion, all the feveral forms and ways of knowledge
and worfhip, all the ordinances, duties, and devotions
which the fpirits of moll men take pleafure in, are
of her. And herein is her pride and glory, in fub-
jecting thefe, in ruling over thefe, in blinding the
eyes of thefe, and oppofing the true life and power
by thefe. She doth not value whole territories of the
other fo much as the congregation of thefe. For
mark ;
The
164 Babylon the Great described.
The great mafter-piece of the whore was to paint
herfelf like the lamb's wife, and fo to withdraw from
the true church, and fet up a falfe church ; which,
by reafon of its paint and likenefs to that which once
was the true, fhouldpafs up and down the world, and
be taken for the true : and here lies her beauty, her
glory, her majefty, her life, her heart, even in the
deceivablenefs of this appearance. Therefore her
great care and endeavour is to keep her poffeflTion and
dominion here. She often renewech and changeth her
paint, nearer and nearer to the image and former
likenefs of truth, that llie might make it pafs inftead
of the truth, and fo keep that which is indeed the
truth down ftill under reproach, contempt, and per-
fecution, as flie hath done thefe many ages. There-
fore (he hath her forts of paint by her, her varieties
of forcery, of witchery, of inchantments, whereof her
cup is full, and wherewith her wine is made ftrong,
to make the inhabitants of the earth drunk thereby;
that being thus befotted, being not themfelves, but
their fpiritual fenfes bound up (as the wine doth very
effeftually, wherever her cup is drank off) fhe might
lead them up and down from one thing to another,
from one chamber to another, from one bed to ano-
ther, from one practice and way of worihip to ano-
ther, and ftill keep them from the true living thing
which their fouls feek.
For were it pofllble for pcrfons who did but fa
much as read in the fcriptures concerning the power
of life the faints formerly enjoyed, the living minif-
try and ordinances, their fweet walking and fellow-
ihip in the light, the prefence of the fpirit in their
worihip, and in their whole courfe, their fincere love
in the fpirit, and tender bearing with one another's
weaknefles, doubts and differences, which he that
reads fingly cannot but pant after; and the ftate of
the gofpel was not to be a decaying and dying in
thefe things, or a lofing of them, fo that the power
of the fpirit, and the revelations thereof Ihould ceafe
Cas the whorilh fpirit, which hath gone out from the
life.
Babylon the Great described. 165
life, pleads)} but to grow and increafe, and the lafl
times to abound moil of all with the power and glory
of truth; I fay, were itpoflible for perfons who fhould
read and entertain the lead tafte or favour of thefe
things, to be fatisfied with any of thofe dead ways
and forms which the whore hath fet up inftead of
them, unlefs they were wholly betwitched, and alto-
gether deprived of their fenfes, being made dead drunk
with the whore's mingled wine in this dark night of
apoftafy ? Yea, profelfors are drunk, they have deeply
drank of the cup, and are forely overtaken, and their
hearts overcharged with ftrong liquor; which makes
them even mad to draw others into their beds of for-
nication, and to (land up themfelves in great rage,
and call alfo to the magiftrates for the defence of
them. Yea, like the clamorous woman, they make
a great noife about ordinances, duties, miniftry,
church, &c. " (I have decked and perfumed my bed/*
faith the lewd zvoman^ the fubtil-hearced woman, Prov.
vii. 16, 17.) but do not foberly confider which are
painted ones, which the truth. We have run on hea-
dily after thefe things too long ; it is now time to
ftand flill a while, and wait for the purging out of the
wine wherewith all our brains have been overturned,
that we may come into fobernefs, and into a fit tem-
per to be led by the fpirit of life out of the bed of
fornications, and out of the ways, worfhips, ordinan-
ces, and duties of fornication, into the bed of the un-
defiled fpirit. Now he that worfhips God aright,
muft feel life within, and that life raifed and ftrength-
ened by him who begets it ; and this will favour death ;
and, faithfully following its guide, will come out of
the land of death ; even that land wherein all the falfe
worfliippers inhabit, and wherein all thefe falfe ways
and worfhips, duties, ordinances, miniftries, &c. are
fet up and fiourilh.
Nov/ thefe fecret fins of Babylon are the fame with
the more open and grofs ; the great difference is their
fecrefy, their not appearing like fins, their paint, their
colour.
i66 Babylon the Great described.
colour, whereby they are fwallowed down for holy
and good. As for inftance :
There is fornication (or adultery from the life) in
the fineft, in the pureft way of worfhip man can in-
vent or imitate : but the fornication doth not fo plain*
ly appear here, but they who have drank of the cup
take thefe things for the ways and appointments of
God. Thofe that kt up the whore's church, do not
call it fo, nor perhaps think it to be foj thofe that fet
up the whore's miniftry, or ordinances, do not give
them that name, but call them the miniftry and or-
dinances of Chrift : yet this is as truly, as really for-
nication from the life, as the groffeft ways of hea-
thenifh worlhip, O mark it ! mark it !
If thou haft read the fcriptures, and thruft thyfelf
into any practices thou there findeft mentioned, with-
out the raifing up of a living thing in thee, and with-
out thy following by the guidance thereof, thou haft
done this by the whore's aavicci and in this thou arc
committing fornication, and erring from the life :
for the true worftiip lies in the fpirit and in the truth,
and it is the new birth that God fceks to worftiip
him J but the fpirit of man thrufting itfelf into thefe
things, the Lord abhors and rejedts. And this fpirit
never can be thus cleanfed and fitted to enter mto
Chrift's bed ; but only gets a paint from fcripture,
and enters into the painted bed and bofom of the
harlot, where it remains unrenewed, unchanged, un-
mortified, in the midft of all its great talk and pro-
feflion of thefe things. And thus the fcriptures, the
holy fcriptures of truth (which were given forth frorr\
the pure fpirit of life) the whorifh fpirit maketh ufc
of to eftrange from the life. For what fort of per-
fons, which have fornicated from the life, but make
ufe of the fcriptures to maintain their whoredpms by,
and to bewitch others into their whoredoms with ?
Every fort cries up their own way and worihip to be
the way and worfhip according to the fcriptures j and
if any be gathered out of thefe witcheries into the
powej;
Babylon the Great described. 167
power of God, then the bewitched fay that fuch arc
bewitched.
Then as for all the abominations of the earth, all
the filth that defiles the heart, it is to be found on the
Ikirts of the whore, even in her mod refined drefs :
for her religion, her worfhip, her profeffion, her prac-
tices, do not reach to the purifying of the confcience,
but only to paint over the old fcpulchre, where rot-
tennefs ftill lodgeth within. The fore was never tho-
roughly fearched ; the heart was never thoroughly
circumcifed or baptized j the old man was never put
off, or the new man put on ; the blood of purifying
(which truly walheth away the fin) was never felt in
its virtue and power, but only an apprehenfion and
talk that they are cleanfed in Chrifl, from a notion
they have ftolen out of the fcriptures ; but not from
the fenfible feeling of the thing in life and power in
their confciences. And fo the evil nature ftill re-
mains, the evil heart of unbelief is ftill to be found
in them, and they want the life, they want the power,
they want the fpirit, they want the love, they want
the humility, they want the meeknefs, they want the
patience, they want the innocency and fimplicity of
the lamb and dove. And when the Lord comes to
provoke them to jealoufy by the ftiining of his light,
and by the appearance of his power in fome whom they
defpife, then the pride, the paffion, the envy, the
heart-burnings, the hard fpeeches, the falfe furmifings,
with the reft of the enmity which ftill abides with
them, ftirs and rifes againft the life and power, and
their hypocrify is made manifeft. Yea, fome of the
ftrideft among them can feoff and jeer at the appear-
ance of life i fo ftrong is the evil and unmortified na-
ture in them, and fo conceited are they in their ways
and praftices, becaufe of their cover, under which all
this iniquity, for the moft part, lies hid from their
eyes. But, for all that, it is there ; the Lord's can-
dle will fearch it out, and thine own eye fhall fee it,
and find in thyfelf bloody Cain, fcoffing Iftimael, pro-
fane Efau, the uncircumcifcd Jew, who is angry that
his
i68 Babylon the Great described.
his brother's facrifice is accepted, and his not; who
difdains and derides the true ieed of life, the living
heir; who hunts abroad for food pleafing to that na-
ture which is to be familhed ; who crucifies the Lord
of glory becaufe of his meannefs, and becaufe he ap-
pears not in that way of devotion and holinefs where-
in they expe6l hinn. Neither will he appear fo j but
to overturn all that which ye have fat up, and to fet
up that which ye difdain. This is the Lord's work,
and it is marvellous in our eyes.
Now there are feveral fins which the fpirit of the
Lord hath charged Babylon with, and which he will
reckon with her for, and with all that partake with
her therein ; fome whereof I may mention. As,
I . He7' deep fornications from the life^ under a pretence
of honouring and ivorjhipping of it, (Be not offended
that I begin with it again, feeing it is alfo mentioned
among other particular fins of hers, Rev. ix. 12.) She
fpeaks fair words ; fhe calls to have the worfhip of
God fet up, and a godly miniilry, and the ordinances
of God in a nation i but the thing is not fo in the
fight of God, but in all this Ihe feeks the advance-
ment of her own whoredoms. And this was, and
this is, the very way of antichrifl's rifing j he gets
into the form, he cries up the form j and by the form
which he cries up, he eats out the power. If anti-
chrift fhould fpeak diredly againft the power (without
firft creeping into, and fetting up a form, and crying
up that) he would foon be detefted : but, under a
form and profeflion of truth, he hides himfelf, and
covers his fpirit of enmity and perfecution therewith ♦,
and here he can fecretly and fafely fmite the inno-
cent, and fight againft that very fpirit, life, and power,
which he himfelf, in his form, makes a profeflion of
being fubjecl to. And this is the wolf in the Ihecp's
clothing, which, by this fair appearance of the fheep's
wool on his back, covers his ravenous nature from the
eyes of the beholders.
Now
Babylon the Great described. 169
Now there are three ways of fornication, one of
"which this fpirit is always guilty of, fometimes of
them all.
1 . By inventing things which the Lord never command^
edy or adding to that which the Lord did command. The
mind of man is very bufy, and full of inventions ;
and where the heart is touched with devotion and
zeal towards God, the inventing part exceedingly
exercifeth itfelf this way, either in imagining and
forming fomewhat which it thinks may be acceptable
to God, or in adding to thofe things which it finds
commanded. In this way of fornication the popifli
church abounds, being filled with ceremonies of their
own inventing, and of additions to fuch things as arc
found mentioned in the fcriptures. The common
Proteftants alfo have been too guilty here.
2. By imitating of thofe things which were command-
ed to others. When a man finds in fcripture the things
which fome others did, or which they were command-
ed to do ; and fo he is venturing upon them before he
feels the leading of that fpirit whereby they were led
thereunto. Now in this he errs from the life ; he goes
without his guide ; he doth that which was a good
thing in others (who were led by the fpirit thereto),
but in him it is fornication. This man is a thief and
an intruder; he fleals into the outward knowledge
and pra6tice, without the inward life and power : he
intrudes into that into which others were fairly led ;
not coming in by the right door, for which entrance
he fhould have waited, and not have run on headily
of himfelf. This way of fornication the ftrici:eft a-
mong the Proteftants have generally been infnared
in, who have run on further and further to fearch
out the pureft way of worfhip, the neareil pattern to
the primitive times, and fo have applied themfelves
diligently thereto, not knowing what they were to
wait for to be their guide, and give them the en-
trance. And here now, thinking themfelves to be
in the right, they have contradted a lofty fpirit (and
held forth their conceptions of the way as the only
way).
170 Babylon the Great described.
way), and fo have loft the meeknefs and fimplicity,
which was frefh and lively in Ibme of them before j
which fets them a great way back, and makes the en-
trance into the kingdom very hard to them. Whereas
if that fimplicity and tendernefs were frefh in them,
the Lord would fhew great regard to that, eafily par--
doning this their error, and, in mercy to them^ vifit-
ing that evil fpirit with his judgments, which ftood
nigh them, and was the caufe of their error. But
they are grown high, they are grown wife, they are
become confident, they know the way already, and
can maintain it by undeniable arguments (as they
think) to be the way ; fo the Lord, with his teach-
ings, is at a great diftance from them j that lying
very low in them, which the Lord alone will teach,
3. By continuing in pra^icesj to which they were once
led by the fpirit , without the immediate frefence and life
of the fpirit. For the whole worfhip, the whole reli-
gion of the gofpel, confifts in following the fpirit, in
having the fpirit do all in us, and for us: therefore
whatfoever a man doth for himfelf is out of the life,
it is in the fornication. If a man pray at any time
without the fpirit, that prayer is fornication, and is
not either acceptable to God, or profitable to himfelf;
but grieves the fpirit, hurts the life, and wounds the
foul. Now this way of fornication have they efpe-
cially fallen into, who have been acquainted with the
true leadings and openings of the fpirit, and have
afterwards run to them for refreftiment, and fo by de-
grees forgot the fpirit that opened. And by this
means was that life, which was precious and very
favoury in the ranters (before they were feduced by
the fpirit of deceit into that way of ranting) overturn-
ed. And thus they alfo (who deeply faw into the
myftery of whoredoms, and into the more inward
ways of fornication above others), even they alfo
were deceived with the whore's cup, and drank afrefli
,of that wine of fornication which the whore very cun-
ningly had new mingled for them j and they alfo are
become a reproach to the inhabitants of Sion, who
find
Babylon the Great described. 171
find a living habitation in that fpirit of life which they
turned from.
Now if there be a true eye opened in any in the
reading of this, how eafily and manifeftly will he fee
whoredom, fornication, adultery, generally in mens
religious praftices, in their churches, in their minif-
tries, in their ordinances, in their prayers, in their
whole courfe ! O how, think ye, doth the eye of the
jealous God behold thefe things ! but your eyes, who
are held captive here, cannot fee it. The God of the
world, with his mills, hath darkened you ; the great
whore, with her forceries, hath inchanted you -, and ye
are her (laves, ye are drunk with her cupi and how
can ye judge foberly either of your own ellate towards
God, or concerning your pra»5lices in religion ?
2. Her notorkus bhifphemies. Having fornicated
from the life, and from the fpirit, then (lie blafphemes
the life, and the holy pure power and movings of the
fpirit. " The woman which fat upon the fcarlet-co-
" loured beaft (with whom the kings of the earth
" committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the
" earth were made drunk with the wine of her for-
" nication) was full of names of blafphemy," Rev.
xvii. 2. 3. Yea, the bead which carried her, which
had many heads, horns, and crowns, he alfo had on
his heads *^ names of blafphemy," Rev. xiii. i.
" And there was given to him a mouth, fpeaking-
" great things, and blafphemies," ver. 3. And he,
with the whore together (for he did it by her fpirit
and inftigation, by virtue of the wine he had drank
out of her cup) ** opened his mouth in blafphemy
*' againft God, to blafpheme his name and his taber-
" nacle, and them that dwell in heaven," ver. 6.
This hath been the work of the tongue, in every head
of the beaft -, namely, to blafpheme the life, to blaf-
pheme the true living power, in all ages and genera-
tions, fince the apoftafy from the life and fpirit of
the apoftles.
Now there is a twofold blafphemy, which the whore,
and the powers pf the earth that fcrve her, are guilty of.
Vol. I. Q^ i. There
172 Babylon the Great described.
1. There is a fpeaking well of the ways of their
own invention, or the ways which they have imitated
without the life. To call thefe the ways of God, the
true ways of life, is blafphemy. " I know the blafphe-
" my of them which fay they are Jews, and are not, but
" afynagogue of Satan," Rev. ii. 9. There were even
in the apoftles days, perfons who pretended to be
Chriftians, and pretended (till to be of the church,
though they had loft the life; and this the fpirit of
the Lord flid was blafphemy. And what is their ga-
thering into a church, who were never gathered into
the life, and fetting up ordinances, and paftors ?
What is this ? What is it for him to call himfelf a
Chriftian, or inward Jew, who never had the fore-
Ikin of his flefti cut off by the circumcifing knife of
the fpirit ? What will the Lord fay this is, when he
comes to judge ?
2. There is a fpeaking evil of the truths of God.
The true knowledge, the true fear, the true worfhip,
the true faints, the true God, the true tabernacle,
the true temple, the true heaven, (all which is in the
fpirit, and is alone revealed and feen there) thefe are
reproached, thefe are mifreprefented (and the true
fight and acknowledgement of them called error,
herefy, and fedarifm) by all the blafphemers of Ba-
bylon.
Ifrael, who had the law and the prophets, the true
ordinances and the true priefts, yet they " called evil
" good, and good evil -, they put darknefs for light,
" and light for darknefs ; they put bitter for fweet,
" and fweet for bitter," Ifa. v. 20. " They were fo
" wife in their own eyes, and fo prudent in their own
" fight ; tiiey were fo mighty to drink wine, and men
" of fuch ftrength to mingle ftrong drink (juftify-
" ing the wicked for reward, and taking away the
<« rightex)ufnefs of the righteous from him)," that
there was no convincing of them by the Light of
God, fhining from the prophets, of their " cafting
«' away the Taw of the Lord, and defpifing the word
\' of the Holy One of Ifrael," ver. 21. to 25. Nay,
they
Basylon the Great described. 173
they were obfervers of the law, and hearkened to the
prophets and the priefts of the law, Jer. v. 31.
Therefore, when the overflowing Jcourge came, // floould
7iot come near them : yea, when the true prophets of
the Lord threatened them with his coming with dread-
ful vengeance, and his ftrange ivork, they in the height
and confidence of their fpirits could reply j " Let
" him make fpeed, and haften his work, that we may
" fee it," Ifa. v. 19. How blind were they from fee-
ing their blafphemiesj their calling of evil good, and
good evil, &c. Yea, in the very days of the apof-
tles, the way of truth was eviljpoken of and fynagogues
of Satan letting up, and blafphemies growing up
apace from thofe which held the true form, but de-
nied the power, even while the pourings forth of the
fpirit, and revelations from the fpirit, did abound :
how can it be expefted it fhould be otherwife now,
when the fpirit is grown fuch a ftrange thing, that to
mention fuch a thing as being moved by the fpirit,
or a6ted by the fpirit, is become ridiculous ? and the
very teachers of the nation (who muft fpeak by the
fpirit, if they fpeak the word of God) cry revelation
is ceafed, and count it a reproach for a man fo much
as to pretend to fpeak by the movings, and in the
power, of the fpirit.
Now this double blafphemy necefTarily follows the.
fornication : whoever is fornicated from the life, he
blafphemes the life, in all his knowledge, in all his
worfhip, in all his religion. He calls that prayer
which is not prayer j that an ordinance which is not
an ordinance; that a church which is not a church;
that a minifter which is not a minifter; and that
which is indeed the prayer, the ordinance, the church,
the minifter, he denies and blafphemes ; and cannot
do otherwife, until the righteous judgments of the
Lord purge the whore's wine out of him, and he be
led back to that life and fpirit again, from which
(in all thefe ways of worlhip, inventions, and imita-
tions) he is gone a whoring.
0^1 The
1^4 Babylon the Great described.
The whore, for thefe many ages, hath been laying
blafphemy to the charge of fuch as, in any degree,
have been led by the fpirit of the Lord from her whore-
doms ; but now the Lord is taking it off from them
(who have long been unjuftly charged therewith) and
charging it upon her, and fhe cannot efcape his judg-
ment : for though fhe put on ever fo fine dreffes and
appearances, like the fpoufe and church of Chrift, yet
the Lord can diftinguifh and find out his fpoufe,
though naked in the wildernefs, and without her at-
tire ; and can alfo efpy the whorilh fpirit, though
clothed with the church's attire ; and can charge her
blafphemies (againft him, his tabernacle, and them
that dwell in heaven) upon her.
3. Grofs or more refined idolatries. " Little child-
** ren," faid John, " keep yourfelves from idols,"
I John v. 21. He faw antichriltianifm breaking in
apace, many antichrifts being already come j and now
(faith he) keep to the anointing, and keep from idols.
Without a very ftrift watch, without a mighty prefer-
vation by the anointing, he faw idolatry would even
creep in upon them, who had tailed of the true power
and virtue of life. But how ihall they keep from
idols who know not the anointing, but think the re-
velations thereof are ceafed ? He that buyeth not the
tried gold of Chrift (Rev. iii. 18.) how can he avoid
buying untried gold of antichrift, or filver, or brafs,
or wood, or ftone, which his merchants traffick for,
and make idols of? Rev. ix. 20. If thine eyes be
anointed with the true eye-falve, thou mayeft fee and
read the parable.
Idolatry is the ivorjhippijig of God without his fpirit
(that is the plain naked truth of the thing). To in-
vent things from the carnal mind, or to imitate things,
which others, who had the fpirit, did in the fpirit, by
the command of the fpirit, for thee to imitate and
praflife thefe without the fpirit, is idolatry. An in-
vented church, an invented miniftry, an invented wor-
fhip ; an imitated church, an imitated miniftry, an
imitated worftiip without the life, without the fpirit,
all
Babylon the Great described. 175
all thefe are the work of mens hands, and are idolsy and
all that is performed herein is idolatry, Rev. ix. 20.
This is a religion without life, a worfliip without life,
a fabrick for idolatry ; and the whole courfe of wor-
fhip and fervice in it, is idolatry. For the living God,
the Lord God of endlefs life and power, is alone wor-
fhipped by his fpirit, and in the truth of that life
which he begets in the heart ; and all other worfhip,
(though ever fo feemingly fpiritual) is idolatrous.
Ah ! profefibrs, profeflbrs ! if ye knew how many idol-
prayers and fervices ye have loaded the Lord with,
and how ye have been whoring from him, while ye
have feemed to be drawing nigh to him, ye would
hang down your heads and mourn ! for whatever ye
have done, in the worfhip of God, without the lead-
ing and prefencc of his fpirit, it hath been idolatry.
For the worfhip of God, under the gofpel, " is in the
" fpirit and in the truth," and required of them who
are in the fpirit and in the truth, and not of others,
John iv. 23. For them alone, the Lord feeketh to
worfhip ; and the Lord v/ill admit of none to his
worfhip, but fuch as he feeks. And if any elfe will
thrufl themfelves into his worfhip, it is not accepted;
nor do they worfhip the true God, but they " wor-
*' fhip they know not what;" and their whole flate
and courfe here is a ftate and courfe of idolatry.
'4, Sorceries, witchcrafts, divinations, and inchant'
ments (I do not mean outward forceries or witchcrafts ;
they are but the fliadow or figure of the inward myf-
tery of deceit of this black dark fpirit, which appears
as an angel of light, that he might bewitch and de-
ceive). " Neither repented they of their forceries,"
Rev. ix. 21. Thjs falfe church, this adulterous wo-
man, flie hath her golden cup, and her v/ine mingled j
and with ♦•his cup fhe bewitches the eye, with this
wine fhe inflames the heart, and intoxicates the brain.
She invents ways and worfhips like to the true, or flie
imitates the true ways and appearances of life; and
when the poor fimple young man is fingly feeking
after God, from fome true touches of his life, before
0.3 he
176 Babylon the Great described.
he comes to know the fpirit of life, before he can come
to be married to the Lamb, Ihe comes with her golden
cup, and with her tempting wine, and bewitches the
poor heart therewith, and fo leads it afide into her
painted bed. Wouldft thou enjoy God, faith fhe ?
Wouldft thou worfhip him aright ? Wouldft thou have
fellowfhip with him ? Lo, here is the way -, here is
the church ; here are the ordinances j here is the mi-
niftry; here are the means. "Thou muft wait upon
God in the ufe of the means, and thefe are they. Did
not the faints formerly do thus ? Did not they meet
with God here ^. Did not they ferve and worfliip God
thus ? Come thou hither alfo ; do what they did ; en-
joy what they enjoyed. Yea, but thou whorilh woman,
did ever God appoint means without his fpirit ? Thou
leaveft the main, yea, indeed, the only thing behind
thee, which itfelf alone is accepted, and without which
nothing is accepted. And this is the courfe of the
whore ; in all her transformings, in all her baits, in all
her temptings, fhe ftill leaves the fpirit behind her.
She may perhaps fpeak of the fpirit, to hide herfelf the
more (becaufe the letter of the fcripture is fo exprefs
therein); and teach people to look and wait for the
fpirit, but fo as it never is to be obtained: for he
that begins in religion either to pray or worfhip, or
feek the knowledge of God, without the fpirit, fhall
never meet with the fpirit fo j but that way of know-
ledge, religion, and worftiip of his, muft firft be bro-
ken down, and he become a fool, and receive the
fpirit as a fool (out of all his religious knowledge
and wifdom which he had gathered before) ; and af-
terwards, following the fpirit which is thus received,
he fliall be led into the true wifdom. Now mark
that which follows, ye that have a defire to under-
ftand.
This fpirit of deceit, this whorifli fpirit, this fpirit
©f divination and witchcraft (" which by her force*
*^ ries deceived all nations," Rev. xviii. 23.) came
forth curioufly decked at firft, with all manner of
deceivablenejs of unrighteoujnefs. It had the exa6t form
of
Babylon the Great described. 177
of life (the true form of godlinefs) and a lively fpirit
in it : it had the form of knowledge, and the form of
worjfhip, and with thefe it came to tempt, and draw
away them from the life and from the power, who
were in the life and in tl»c power •, and it did prevail
upon fiich as kept not clofe to the anointing. But
after it had overcome, and gained the church's ter-
ritories, then it might fafely corrupt the form -, and
fo it did, and went into multitudes of inventions and
fopperies (as at this day may be feen amongft the
Papifts). Now thefe are eafily difcovered, and feen
through by any fimple, plain, honeft eye, upon a
little breaking forth of the light. Therefore the
whorifli fpirit, when flie perceives herfclf found out
here. Hie changes her fhape and attire, and comes
back again by degrees (as need requires) to the forms
of knowledge and worfhip, wherewith (he was arrayed
when fhe deceived at firft : yet flill fhe is the fame,
and doth this to keep poor fimple hearts flill in her
bands, from the life and from the fpirit. And thus
painted, thus decked, thus holding forch fcripture-
knowledge and fcripture-ways of worfliip, ilie is the
more fubtil witch, the more fubtil forcerefs, and is
able to deceive any eye, but that which is opened in
the light. With her *' Lo here Chrifl, and io there
** Chrift," fhe would deceive the very elect, if it were
poffible ; but it is not pofllble : for they are taught
by the fpirit not to go forth, and the anointing with-
in prefcrves them. And he that knoweth not this
prelervation, is bewitched by her ; and his fear of
God is fuch as may be taught by the precepts of
men, and praftifed without the knowledge of the
law of the fpirit of life in Chrill Jefus, which is the
faints rule, guide, and prefcrvation. For as the apof-
tles were '* able minifters, not of the letter,^ but of
*' the fpirit of the New Tcftament," 2 Cor. iii. 6. fo
they that received their miniftry (or that which they
miniflered) received not the letter only, but the fpi-
rit •, and were preferved not by the letter, but by the
fpirit, ^nd were made able to try words, thingSj and
0.4 fpirits,
178 Babylon the Great described.
fpirits, not by the letter, but by the fpirit. But this
the whorifh fpirit is departed from, and bewitcheth
others from ; firft poflefTing them that the fpirit is
not to be looked for, and then perfuading them to
make as good fhift as they can without it : and then
(having thus prepared people) fhe brings forth her
wares. Look ye, faith flie, this is the way; thus and
thus the faints praftifed ; do thou thus alfo. But thou
mud receive the faints fpirit before thou either know
or worfliip ; or thou knoweft and worfhippeft out of
it : and in that path of forcery and witchcraft from the
life, thou fhalt never meet with the life ; but the fur-
ther thou proceeded therein, wilt be more and more
ellranged from it, and become ftill a greater and
greater enemy to it, and more and more in love with*
the whore, and her whorifh paths and pleafing ways
of devotion, whereby the falfe fpirit in thee is raifed
up and nourifhed ; not with the bread of life from
the hand of the fpirit, but with words, or forms of
knowledge, or ways of worfhip invented, or imitated;
which do but tickle the underllanding, or affet5lionate
part of man, but reach not the life; fo that that which
iliould {crve the Lord, is there not raifed, but ftill
bound over with the bond of iniquity.
5. Luxury y excefsy and pleafure. She is rich with her
merchandize, and ihe enjoys it to the full, fhe takes
the pleafure of it. She builds coflly houfes, wears
nch apparel, fares delicioufly (read fpiritually with
the fpintual eye). She is rich in knowledge, rich in
ways of worfhip, rich in duties, rich in religious
performances and practices. And as fhe gained thefe
in her own will (v/ithout the leadings of the life),
and by her own fearch and wifdom ; fo flie can make
ufe of thefe in her own will, and according to the
direction of her own wifdom. She can fafl when fhe
will, give thanks when fhe will, preach when fhe will,
pray when fhe will, fing when fhe will, meditate when
fhe will, bring forth her knowledge to others when
fhe will. Look on the Papifts ; how rich are they in
outward buildings, in gorgeous ceremonies, in times
of
Babylon the Great described. 170
of worfliip, in ways of mortification and penance, in
fafts, in feaftsj &c. Look on the feveral forts of
Proteftants ; they have then- riches in their kind too ;
their churches, their buildings, their arts, their fci-
ences, their languages, their bodies of divinity, their
cafes of confcience, &c. They can open the whole
body of religion, refolve all doubts, expound all
fcriptures, &c. " The great city was clothed in fine
" linen, and purple and icarlet, and decked with gold,
" and precious ftones, and pearls," Rev. xviii. 16.
And flie fat thus on the throne like a queen, livinor
delicioufly, and taking her pleaiure, to which her tor-
ment and forrow afterwards is proportioned, ver. 7.
Yea, fhe had treafure and coftlinefs enough to make
all her merchants rich that would trade with her, ver.
19. What knowledge, what delicate food, could the
wifell or greateft of the earth defire, which flic had
not ready for them? (fee ver. 3. and ver. 9.) But
Sion, all this while, hath lain in the duft, and been
defpifed : fhe hath had no building, no fence, but hath
been trampled under-foot by every unclean beaft :
her witnefies have been clothed with fack-cloth (a
garment which all the lofty inhabitants of Babylon
difdain) : her fare hath been hard in the wildernefs,
only a little manna (which, with the flelhly Ifrael,
who luft after rich and large knowledge, is counted
light bread, and their fouls foon loathe it) : nor had
fhe this in plenty, but only a fmall proportion daily,
from the hand of the free-giver, fufficient to keep
life in her in the wildernefs, and to furnifh her with
ftrength to give in her teftimony againfb Babylon,
fo far as the Lord faw good to call any of her feed
thereunto. Now what profefTor can be v;illing to fare
thus with her at prelent ? and to wait for her future
riches, fulnefs, beauty, and glory! Nay, nay; they
have fo long lived richly, and fared delicioufly in Ba-
bylon, that they know not how to eat the bread of
affliftion, and drink the water of afflidion, with fad
and defolate Sion : and yet this is the only way and
paflage out of Babylon into Sion. That which hath
been
i8o Babylon the Great described.
been rich and fat, and full-fed there, muft become
poor and lean, and feel hunger, and have none of the
bread of life adminiftered to it ; no, not fo much as
hufls:s neither. And in this fad day, and ftate of mi-
fery, the poor are vifited, which receive the gofpel ;
and the dead raifed, which received the life.
6. JVorJhippng of the devil. "All the world won-
" dered after the beaft, and they worfhipped the dra-
" gon," Rev. xiii. 3, 4. Now the dragon is the devil.
Rev. XX. 2.
There is no other worlhip of God under the New
Teftament, but in fpirit and truth; and he that wor-
fhips otherwife, worfhips not God, but that fpirit which
teacheth to worfhip out of God's fpirit, and out of
the truth. Every prayer is not a prayer to God, but
only that prayer which is from and in the fpirit.
Every ordinance, or duty, is not an ordinance of God,
or a duty performed to God; but only that which
the fpirit leads into, and guides and preferves in.
This is the way that all the earth have departed from
the Lord ; namely, by erring from his fpirit. They
cry up praflices in religion ; duties, ordinances ; the
means, the means; a church, a church (as the Jews
did " the temple of the Lord, the temple of the
" Lord;") but they find the church, before they have
found the fpirit of the Lord; andfo they find not the
church that is in God, the church that is of his build-
ing ; but they, poor hearts ! frame up a building as
well as they can, according to the pattern they find
in the fcriptures ; and fo they are not an habii;ation
for God in the fpirit, but are eftranged from the life
and fpirit in all their worjQiip ; and fo are not found
by the fpirit (which fearcheth them and their worfhip)
worfhipping of God, but *' the works of their owq
" hands, and devils," Rev. ix. 20. For that charge
holds good againft all the inhabitants of Babylon, even
to the highell and llriftefh of them all, whether in
forms, or out of forms. Theic are many men, who
are very zealous and devout in their ways of worfhip^
who were never taught by the fpirit the way of wor-
ihipping
Babylon the Great described. i8i
/hipping God, nor do at all know how to worfliip in
the rpirit : thefe my foul exceedingly pities. They
have received into their underftandings, from the let-
ter of the fcripture, that God is to be worfhipped in
fpirit, and that God will give his fpirit to them that
aik it. They have afked, and they hope that they
have the fpirit ; but poor deceived hearts ! they know-
not what fpirit they are of, nor in what fpirit they
act, nor what fpirit they ferve ; and fo periih for lack
of knowledge, the key whereof hath been hid from
them. Now let fuch confiderj
There are but two fpiritsj the fpirit of God, and
the fpirit of Satan : one of which guides all men in
their devotion and religion, and one of which they
ferve therein. He that is led by the fpirit of God;
he ferves God, he worlhips God : he that is led by
the fpirit of Satan j he ferves not God, but that fpirit
which appears in the temple of God, like God, and
gives fuch demonftrations that he is God, as no flefli
can deny, 2 Thef. ii. 4. Here now is the great de~
ceivahlenefs. In profanenefs, in manifeft wickednefs,
Satan is eafily feen j and men that are found here, in
is granted that they are ferving the devil : but that he
fhould fit as king in gathered churches, in duties, ia
ordinances, in ways of felf-denial and mortification,
and be worfhipped here, this is hard to be feen t yet
any of thefe which the fpirit of the Lord leads not
into, or which are performed at any time without his
fpirit, he is worfhipped in. Confider this, ye that are
wife in religion, and are diligently reading the fcrip-
tures, and gathering knowledge, and rules of worlhip,
and applying promifes, &c. Do ye this in the life and
fpirit of God ? or in your own wifdom, and according
to your own underftanding ? Doth not the wifdom of
that fpirit, which is out of the truth, guide you in
your fearchings after truth ? O do not ferve that fpirit
which the Lord hates, but come back to that, from
which in all this ye err, and which in all this ye can-
not ferve and worfhip. And- let not your religion any
longer confift in mere pradifing what the faints for-
merly
i82 Babylon the Great described,
merly practifed (for that ye may do without the fame
fpirit), but in yielding up to that life, power, and
pure fpirit that they were led by. And when ye arc
joined to this, then do not prefcribe the Lamb the
way that he fliould go, but " follow the Lamb, whi-
" therfoever he goeth." Do not tell the fhepherd
(by your gathered wifdom) the way that he mufr lead
you in j but know the voice, and follov/ it : for this I
can truly teftify, that if once ye come in faithfulnefs
and true light to follow the Lamb he will lead ye
in -palhs ye have not known, and out of the paths ye
have known.
7. Compelling of ethers to worfhip. Rev. xiii. 15, 16.
The falfe woman and the bead fet up a worlhip in the
will, and they do not know why any in the will alfo
may not be fubjedl and fubmit to it. They can give
them reafons, they can give them arguments from
fcripture ; and if they will not yield to thefe, they
are to be looked upon as ftubborn and refraftory,
and to be compelled by outward force. This hath
been the courfe generally throughout the land of Ba-
bylon ; but thefe fbew hereby that they themfelves are
erred from the truth (and therefore very unfit and
unlikely to teach it others): for that which God
works upon is the confcience, which he convinceth by
the light of his fpirit ; and no other light can truly
convince it. That therefore which would have a man
yield to any praftice, or way of worfhip, till he be
truly convinced, is of the devil. *' My fon, give me
<* thy heart," faith Chrill, the wifdom of God : come
pot to me with oblations and facrifices, but give me
^hy heart. My fon, give me tliy knee, give me thy
obedience to the ways I have fet up, give me thy
conformity, faith antichrift, faith the adulterated wif-
dom ; and if any refufe, llie endeavours to compel
them. Thus, like " Jeroboam the fon of Nebat," Ihe
makes (that which flie calls) Ifrael to fin : or, like
Nebuchadnezzar, fhe fets up an idol, and caufeth all
her children to bow to it. Thus the load of the ini-
quity of multitudes lies upon that fcarlet whore, who
forces
Babylon the Great described, 183
forces her cup of abominations and filthinefs upon all
fhe can. Rev. xvii. 4. caufing all, both Jmall and
greats in all her territories, to receive her marky and
worjhip her image. The work of the minifter of Chrifl,
is to keep the confcience tender, that the voice of
Chrifl: may be heard, and the lavv of his fpirit of life
(which makes obedient to the God of life) fpring up
there : but this is the image, here is the way, bow,
conform, fay the minifters of antichrift. But we are
not convinced in the fight of God that this is the
way, fay poor fouls. It is your own fault; ye may be
convinced if ye will, fay the minifbcrs of antichrift;
we are ready to give you arguments and fcriptures to
convince you ; how is it ye are not convinced? Ye
muft be convinced, otherwife the magiftrate muft deal
with you. Thus they endeavour to harden the con-
fcience, that they may fit upon it and ride it, and
terrify it from its fubje6lion to its only true and lawful
king. O the havock that hath been made of fouls by
this means 1 the Lord is requiring it of this genera-
tion.
But let me put this queftion to all the learned and
wife, in all the regions of Babylon, under what paint-
ed form or way of worfhip foever. Can any worlhip
God aright, before they be truly convinced of his
will and way? Can any be convinced without his light
and fpirit ? Were it good and acceptable in the fight
of God, for any perfons to run into that way, where-
of thou fayeft thou art convinced that it is the way,
before they themfelves are convinced ? If it be not
good and acceptable, what is that which goes about
to compel them ? Away with thy carnal weapons ;
and if thou wilt draw to God, draw by that which is
fpiritual : but if thou wilt ftill be ufing outward force
(running to the laws of men, and power of the magi-
ftrate) the Lord hath opened an eye, which difcovers
thy nakednefs herein, and is able to make it manifeft
in the fight of all people ; and thou Ihalt not long
cover thy ftiame. The Lord's people Ihall " be a
" willing people," to follow him " in the day of
" his
184 Babylon the Great described.
" his power •," but all the Lord's people have been
unwilling to follow thee in the day of thy power,
which is near an end j and the very fountain of thy
deceit (and tyranny over the confcience) is opening
and making manifeft.
8. Perfectition of fuch as fhe cannot compel to her
worfhip. She fets up her form of knowledge, fhe fets
up her way of worfliip, and thofe that will not be
drawn to own the one, and praftife the other, fhe fets
her brand upon them for erroneous perfons, fchifma-
ticks, hereticks ; they muft not " buy or fel]," Rev.
xiii. 17. They muft be banillied or imprifoned, or
perhaps put to death ; for fhe is hardly fatisfied, till
fhe hath drunk the blood of thofe, who, in any emi-
nent degree, are the witnelTes of Chrift againft her.
Rev. xvii. 6. This was a thing wondered at by John,
with great admiration ; to fee this woman, this great
city, out of which all the venomous darts are fhot
againfb the faints and martyrs of Jefus, under a pre-
tence of zeal for the church and ordinances of Chrift.
For this is the engine, whereby the dragon makes war
with the true woman's feed, (which keep the command-
ments of God) and have the teftimony of Jefus Chriji),
even by this falfe woman which rides on the beaft,
by whole power and ftrength fhe overcomes the faints.
She fets up a way of dodtrin^, a way of worfhip in a
nation, and gets laws made for the defence of it, and
againft them that will not fubmit to iti and here fhe
is too hard for the faints j by this means fhe over-
comes the martyrs and witnelTes, and keeps the truth
down, and keeps up her way of deceit; which with-
out this prop would foon fall.
This whorifti fpirit fcents the fpirit of the Lord ; Ihe
knows it will foon be her death, if flie cannot make
it appear odious, and fupprefs it : therefore fhe hunts
this fpirit, fhe hunts the life and power of what fhe
herfelf profefles (efpecially if it appear vigorous and
ftrong in any); fhe feeks advantages againft the fer-
vants of the living God, reprefenting them to the
earthly powers as perfons of dangerous principles and
bad
Babylon the Great described. 185
bad pradices, inventing all manner of what can be
called evil againft them, and fpreading it among the
people, that the truth may ftart up no-where in the
earth, but every-where be knocked down by the vio-
lence of the multitude, or by the fword of the offend-
ed magiflrate. Now what is the matter of all this
great noife and fury ? Why this ; A lamb is rifen up in
the innocency ; the pure harmlefs fpirit is appeai'ing in the
earth; the true life (which difcovers the hypocrify, and
dead forms and ways of the whorifh fpirit) is break-
ing forth: therefore fhe makes a great outcry : Awake,
people! awake! the church is in danger: arife, ma-
giflrates ! m.agiftracy and miniftry will down, if this
lamb-like fpirit be fuffered. Nay, nay : thefe Ihall
ftand, but Babylon fhall fall, and her myftery of ini-
quity be difcovered, and her deceivahlenejs of unrighte-
oufnefs made manifed -, and the true life and fpirit fhall
arife and take poffefTion of the hearts of people, and
make them a clean and fit habitation for God : and
people that are fubjedt hereto, fhall feel it, and enjoy
it ; though the merchants of Babylon fay, men fhall
never be made clean while they live, but muft ftili
have a body of fin and death hanging about them.
But how fhall they put on Chrift, who have not put
off the body of (in ? Shall thofe who are made kings
and priefts to God here on earth, miniller in their
filthy garments ?
Thefe are fome of the fins of Babylon, that painted
harlot, which is fubtil in heart, and lies in wait to
deceive, in the ablence of the true church, whole
clothing and refemblance Ihe takes up, and appears
in.
And when Ibe had done all this -, when, like Egypt,
Ihe hath kept the feed in bondage in all her territories
and dominions, in every church Ihe hath fet up, and
by all her miniftries and ordinances j when, like So-
dom, fhe hath filled the whole world with filthinefs,
uncleannefs, and all manner of fpiritual abominations;
when, like old Jerufalem the bond-woman, fhe and
her children have fcoffed at the fpirit in every ap-
pearance
i86 Babylon the Great described,
pearance all the time of her reign, and have tramp-
led upon and domineered over them, who have but
fpoken of the coming of the juft-one in his people,
fporting herfelf in her own deceivings ; yet, after all
this, J]je "wipes her mouthy and Jaith jhe hath done no
harm ; fhe hath been for the gofpel, and church, and
miniftry, and ordinances, and the faith once delivered
to the faints, and only againft deceivers, feducers,
blafphemers, and hereticks. But the fpirit of the
Lord cannot be thus deceived ; nor fhall the nations
be always thus deceived, and fuffer her to fit as a
queen upon their confciences ; but fhe fhall fee for-
row, and they fhall talle joy at the found of the ever-
lafting gofpel, when once again it cometh to their
ears. Rev. xiv, 6. and chap. xix. 6, 7.
The JUDGMENT of BABYLON.
BABYLON the Great, this great city of abomi-
nations, which hath reigned over the whole
earth, which hath bewitched all forts of profeffors
with the golden cup of her fonnications, which hath
fubtilly led from the life, and held all forts captive
in the witchery of her deceit, and hath triumphed
over the holy feed, making Sion their mother defo-
late, who fat in the dull, and was trampled upon by
her: this great city, this glorious city, this rich city,
this mighty powerful city, this queen of the earth
(which knows not what belongs to Sion's mifery, for-
row, poverty, and defolation), with antichrift her
king and hufband (who hath clothed himfelf with the
garments of light, and appeared in the likencfs of the
king of Sion, and hath long been fo acknowledged
and worfhipped), is to be judged by the fpirit of life,
which arifeth up out of the duft of Sion,
And though Babylon the gre^t whore (who in all
her transformings hath flill remained an enemy to the
life) hath great power and great wifdom, and can
fhift
Babylon the Great described. 187
fhift very fubtilly to fave herfelf by both ; yet ftrong
is the Lord God who judgeth her^ and he aljo is wife -, and
fhe (hall not efcape his hand, but he will purfue her
with his voices, with his thunderings, with his hail-
ftones, with his earthquakes, with his woes, with his
plagues, with his cups of indignation, till he hath
made her manifeft, till he hath broken her in pieces,
till he hath crumbled and laid her in the dull, till
he hath brought her down to the very pit, where the
feet of Sion fhall trample upon her for ever. Sing,
fing, O inhabitant of Sion ! doll thou not behold the
crown of pride going down apace ? The decree is
fealed againft her; fhe cannot efcape; yea, fhe is fal-
len, fhe is fallen •, fhe is already taken in the fnare ;
the eye of my life feeth it, and rejoiceth over her in
the living power.
The plagues of God Almighty, from the fierce-
nefs of his indignation, are vifiting her whole terri-
tories, and pafTing over all her land. Nothing can
help her to avoid his ftroke ; no paint will ferve, no
cover will hide, no profefllon, no practice, no duties,
no ordinances, no church, no miniftry, can avail to
conceal her; but that fpirit is purfued by the fpirit
of the Lord, and found out evcry-where, and plagues
are prepared and pouring out upon her. Nay, though
flie leave all her forms, and pretend to wait and feek
for the Lord ; yet (he is found out there alfo.
Now what is her judgment .'' Deftrudlion and utter
defolation from the hand of the Lord ; to be an hif-
fing and reproach throughout all generations ; to be
brought down (by pourings forth of the wrath and
vengeance of the Almighty) into the pit, and there
to drink the fulncfs of his wrath for ever. Sion fhall
be exalted ; Sion fhall drink the cup of life, the cup
of bleffing, the cup of love, the cup of falvation for
ever : but Babylon the cup of fury, the cup of indig-
nation forever and ever. Sion (hall fing ; but Baby-
lon fliall howl: and all that faw any beauty, or took
any pleafure in her, fnall mourn over her. Alas,
aiaSi for her ! (he who hath lb many ages gone for
Vol. L R the
i88 Babylon the Great DESCRiBEb,
the church, is now proved to be the whore ; thofe who
have been taken, in their feveral transformings, for
the true miniflers, made manifeft to be the falfe pro-
phets ; their ordinances and duties, but thefts and
imitations ; things which they have ftolen from what
they read in the fcriptures, but never received from
the hand of the fpirit.
The wrath of God, the dreadful cup of his fury,
and jealous indignation for the caufe of Sion, is to
go over her whole land, over her fea, and all the
Ihips that trade therein, and all her merchants, with
all her precious traffick and merchandize. All her
doftrines which llie hath ftolen out of the fcripturc,
all her difciplines, all her experiences, all her perfor-
mances (even thofe which are moft like the perfor-
mances of the former faints) j nay, though flie may
fpeak the very words of truth, yet as they come from
her mouth, they fhall be thrown by and judged, and
be of no fervice or efteem in Sion. The precioufeft
of her ware fliall be drofs and dung in the land of life,
where there fl:iall be no fea, nor nofuch kind of mer-
chants, traffick, or trading for ever.
Her earth alfo Ihall be made defolate, and burnt
lip, with all that is found therein ; all her fettlements
fhall be fnuken ; all her fruit-trees fliall be rooted up ;
all her fruit fliall wither, rot, die, and perifli. All
her converfions of people to God (as flie calls them)
fliall come to nothing : yea, and if flie have yet any
more drefl^es, or fecret coverings, wherein flie would
appear like the church again, and bring forth again ;
yet flie and her children fliall immediately be difco-
vered, her flefli burnt with fire, and her children
dallied againft the ftones. Every ftreet in her city,
every houfe and idol in every Itreet, every room in
every houfe, with every inhabitant, fhall drink of tlie
cup of aftoniflimcnt, and ftumble and fall, and rife
no more. " Thou haft long triumphed over me, O
" mine enemy ! becaufe I have fallen, and have long
*' fat in darknefs J but rejoice no longer j for I fliall
" rile again, and the Lord fliall be a light unto me ;
" but
Bi4BYL0N THE GuEAT DESCRIBED. 189
'» but thou Ihalt rife no more, and thy light Ihall be
" put out for ever. Glory to the meek fuffering
" Lamb, even to him that fits upon the throne of
** life for ever."
Her air alfo Ihall be darkened. The Lord fhall en-
lighten my darknefs J but the light of Babylon fhall
be darkncfs for evermore. " The li2:ht of a candle
" fhall be feen no more at all in thee." Many lights
hath Babylon fet up in the dark night; but the riling
of the fun of righteoufnefs fhall extinguifli them all
for ever, -and Babylon fhall be fhut up in utter dark-
nefs. Yea, all that have retained to Babylon, all that
have walked by the light of any of her candles, that
have cried up any of her falfe ware for orthodox, that
have given up their names to her under any of her
drefles or appearances, or that have received any of
her marks, they fhall partake of her fhame, of her
mifery, and of her torment, from the hand of the
Lord God. Yea, her throne alfo fhall be vifited, and
the feat of antichrill in every heart fhall feel the
wrath.
Rife up from the dull, and fhout forth with joy, O
captive daughter of Sion, who haft long dwelt under
opprelTion, in the midft of the daughter of Babylon.
Behold! Babylon's king fhall be no longer judge over
Sion ; but thy king fhall be judge, and he fliall judge
the king of Babylon : and let all the powers and pot-
fherds of trie earth llrive to their urmoll ; yet, faith
the Lord, " have I fet my king upon my holy hill of
'* Sion," and he fhall rule in my people, and rule
over Babylon.
Learn, therefore, O inhabitants of the earth, great
and imall, meeknefs ; learn righreoufnefs ; learn the
fear of the Lord ; kifs the Son ; harden not yourfelves
againft him, calling him a deceiver, a blalphemer, a
feducer, an heretick (for what ye do to the lealt that
appear in his life, ye do to him) ; but hearken to the
word of his everlafling gofpel, which fii;th, ^* Fear
** God, and give glory to him, for the hour
** OF HIS JUDGMENT IS COME; and ye cannot cfcape
R 2 his
190 Babylon the Great described*
fiis hand by that fear which is taught by the precepts
of men, or by traditional knowledge out of thefcrip-
tures ; nor while ye feek that honour which came out
of the earth, and is of the earth, and to that which is
earthly. Therefore let your hearts learn to know him,
and your tongues to confefs him, and your knees to
bow to him ; which if ye do, ye mull forget all that
knowledge, and thofe confeflions and bowings which
ye have learned in Babylon ; for though ye may have
confefled fome true things, yet (having learned this
in Babylon) ye have confefled falfely ; even as the
Jews, who faid, " the Lord liveth," yet fwore falfely,
Jer. v. 2.
Now confider, ye minifters of feveral forts, and ye
feveral forts of profeflbrs : we may appear great ene-
mies to you, becaufe we witnefs againil your ways,
and tell you what the end of them will be j but are
we enemies to you indeed, whofe deiire it is to fave
you from this great wrath, which hath already enter-
ed into the earth, and feized on fome ? Should we
footh you up, and not witnefs thefe things to you
(which we infallibly know) how fliould we anfwer it
to the Lord our God, or to your fouls, when we (hall
appear before him ? If we were in your condition,
would we be content to be let go on, and to be over-
taken with this great de(tru6lion ? We cannot be fi-
lent. Ye muft be filentj but we cannot. We know
ye muft be filent ; for that which now fpeaks in you,
hath been filenced in us, and is not to minifter the
things of God. But the fpirit of the Lord muft not
be quenched in us, notwithftanding all our weaknefs;
but the treafure muft ifllie forth from the earthen vef-
fel, for the relief of the poor in fpirit, who alone re-
ceive the gofpel. Therefore, though ye hate us,
though ye perfecute us, though ye fpeak all manner
of evil againft us, and ufe us ever fo hardly ; yet there
is love rooted in our fouls toward your fouls, yea,
and toward your perfons alfo : and having both felt
the wrath, and tafted of the mercy, we cannot but
warn you of the one, and invite you to the other.
And
Babylon the Great described. 191
And oh ! that ye might find a fhelter under the fliadow
of his wings in the Itormy feafon, when wrath fhall
be fhowered down without mercy !
And this we cannot but tell you, that the feveral
ways of religion in the Chriflian world are but fo many
feveral coverings ; and that that which is covered with
them is the whorifh fpirit, which the fpirit of the
Lord is hunting; who will ftrip her, and make her
naked, and fhe fhall appear to have been the whore
under them all. Now that which lieth beneath this
fpirit in you, which is defpifed and trampled upon as
a thing of nought, which is burdened and daily (lain
by your multitudes of ordinances, profeflions, and re-
ligious practices; this is the heir of life; and by the
raifing up and living of this in you, may ye come to
life, and no otherwife. And all religion without this
(even the moft inward) is but the deceit of the whore,
who makes a great fhew of worihip, and zeal toward
Chrill, his ordinances and miniflry (as Ihe calls them) ;
but by all thefe, and under all thefe, holds the life in
bondage, and flrives by all means to flay the heir,
that the inheritance might come to herfon. But Cain
the facrificer ; Ifhmael, the fon of the bond-woman ;
Efau, the hunter abroad after venifon ; the Jew, full
of profeflion, zeal, ordinances, and worfhip, fhall
not inherit : but flain Abel Ihall be raifed to life : Ifaac
(who was born of the dry and barren womb) fliall have
thepromife; plain Jacob the blelTing ; the out-caft
Gentile be fought out. Thus it fhall be; can ye read
it ? Yet it is the defire of our fouls that a remnant of
you may be faved, and now is the gathering. Therefore
feek humility, feek poverty of fpirit, feek the fufFering
feed, the meek, innocent, harmlefs, dove-like nature,
even thelove which doth no ill, nor thinks no ill; for
this is the fpirit which is to be gathered : but the high
and lofty, the wife and knowing, the fat and ftrong,
the rough and confident in their wifdom, and in their
duties, churches, ordinances, &c. (•^vhich they have
gathered and llolen from the fcriptures out of the
life) are with all thefe to be reje(5tedj and to be fhut
R 3 vip
1^2 Babylon the Great described.
up in blindnefs and hardnefs of heart, " Seeing,
" they are to fee, and not perceive •, and hearing, to
" hear, and not underftand; left they Ihould be con-
" verted, and healed." Yea, it is this fpirit which is
to fret under its pain and torment from the woes and
plagues ; but cannot repent, but paiTeth on with Ba-
bylon to ruin and deftru6tion. Rev. xvi. 9, 10, 11.
" Babylon is become the habitation of devils, and
'^ the hold of every foul fpirit, and a cage of every
"^ unclean and hateful bird. Come out of her, my
" people, that ye be not partakers of her fins, and
*' that ye receive not of her plagues," Rev. xviii.
This is the cry concerning Babylon juft upon her
fall. Her iniquity is full, her filth overflows, the
pure feed is gathering out of her, and nothing but
devils and foul fpirits, and unclean hateful birds, re-
main in her. And the call ftill is to the people of
God, from one remove to another, from one part of
Babylon to another, to travel on, and pafs away ftill,
till they come quite out of it all. To come out of
one part of Babylonifh worftiip, that is not enough;
or to come out of fome pieces of Babylonifli know-
ledge and wifdom, will not anfwer the call ; but ye
muil come out of it all. " Depart ye, depart ye;
" this is not your reft, for it is polluted." Stay not
in any part of the unclean land, O child of the pure
life ! but be feparate, and touch not the unclean thing,
if thou wilt have the holy-one to receive thee. Not
only the feveral dreffes and forms of the whore are
polluted •, but her fpirit alfo, and all her inward fa-
brick of religion, out of which thou muft alfo come,
if ever thou be joined to the pure life. Thy faith,
thy hope, thy love, thy patience, thy joy, thy peace,
thy juftification, thy fandlification, thy mortification,
thy ability to pray, to give thanks, to wait, &c. all
muft down, all muft fuffer lofs, all muft become drofs
and dung to thee, that thou mayft know the build-
ing of true life from and in the fpirit. For the Lord
will not own any of thefe, nor receive thee with any
of
Babylon the Great described. 193
of thefe which the whore hath touched ; but if thou
wilt have the pure life, both within and without,
thou mufl: part with the corrupt life, both within and
without. This is a faithful and true teftimonyj but
who can receive it ? Will not both the houfes of If-
rael be offended, and itumble at it ? But if any of
the people of God will abide flili in Babylon, and not
heaiken to every call of the fpirit of the Lord, to fol-
low its guidance out of every part of her, ibey Jhall
receive (from the impartial hand of the Lord) of her
plagues^ and have torment and forrow proportionable to
the glory and plcafure they have had with her. There-
fore, if after one, two, three, or many removes out
of fome parts and pradices of Babylon, the voice ftill
follow, crying, " Come out of her, my people" (the
fpirit of antichrift is yet among you, the wine of for-
nication from the pure life is not yet purged out of
you), do not (top your ears, thinking this belongs not
to you, becaufe ye have forfaken fome paths which
are antichriflian j but hear and follow i for it is your
life, and your way to reft and peace in the land of
the living, and your fure prefervation from anguifh,
perplexity, and mifery in the hour of Babylon's judg-
ment and fore diftrefs.
An Objection anfwered.
NO W there is one thing which lies as a great
block in the way, to hinder this teftimony from
entering into the hearts of thofe to whom it is direft-
ed, or at leaft to weaken the fpirit's demonftration
of it to their confciences (for exceeding fubtil is the
whorifh fpirit to keep every one of her fubjeds from
the fight or fufpicion of her in themfelves, and to
darken every beam of light, whereby it pleafeth God
to make any way for the difcovery of her in them),
which is this :
ObjeSl. But hath all our religion, for thefe many
g^esj been Babylonilh, and whoredom from the life ?
K 4 All
194 Babylon the Great described.
All our churches, all our ordinances, all our duties,
all our miniftry, &c. We can never be drawn to be-
lieve this. We are fure we have felt lively touches
from God many a time, and enjoyed fweet communion
with him in them. God hath often met us there,
and refrefhed our fpirits ; which he would not have
don,e, had they not been of himfelf.
Anfiv. There hath been a fimplicity and fincerity
of heart, flirting in fome people towards God, in all
ages ; even among the heathen, under all their idols ;
and among the Jews, in the mid ft of their great apof-
tafy : which fimplicity is of God, and acceptable with
him, notwithftanding all the load of filth that may-
hang round about it. Even in the midft of Egypt,
or in the midft of Babylon, if Ifrael groans, the Lord
hears, and may return fweet anfwers to Ifrael, even
there. " When Ifrael was a child, I loved him, and
" called my fon out of Egypt." The loweft breath-
ing of true life towards God is the voice of his Son,
and enters into his ears from the darkeft part of
Egypt or Babylon.
Now in this nation the fimplicity hath more ftirred
than in other nations; the feed of God in this land
hath been exceeding precious and dear to him. And
at the beginning of thefe late troubles, the ftirring of
the fimplicity from the pure feed was more vigorous
and lively than it had been in many ages before;
and accordingly the anfwers of God to it were more
frefh and fweet ; and there was a tafte of him, and
fellowfliip with him, and fweet hopes and refrefliments
to the foul. Though the way of praying, preaching,
and worlhip, either publick or private, was not right
before him ; yet he overlooked that which his foul
hated (winking at the time of ignorance and anti-
chriftian darknefs), and met with that which he loved.
And if the fimplicity had grown and thriven, com-
munion with God, and life from him, would have
jncreafed, although the pure path of the fanctuary
had not yet been made manifeft.
But
Babylon the Great described. 195
But this was it deftroyed all •, another thing got
up under a cover, and the fimplicity funk ; and lb the
life withdrew, and God hath grown ftrange to his peo-
ple. He milTed that which he loved, and came to
vifit ; he found that thruft upon him for his, which his
foul cannot own or unite withi and fo he became
but " as a wayfaring man, that turneth afide to tarry
" for a night," Jer. xiv. 8. Enter into your hearts,
O ye backlliding children ! is it not thus ? You who
had fweet taftes of God, is he not become a ftranger
to you ? You that had fweet, frelh, lively breathings
after God, are you not fet down in a form (or under
fome pleafing notions), and have got a covering, but
loft the fnnplicity of your life, and the fweet taftes of
God, and refreftiments from him ? Thus it hath been
in all reformations. There was commonly a pure,
fingle, naked beginning; but an evil thing foon got
dominion over it, flaying the pure living ftirring by
the form which it raifed up, under a pretence of pre-
ferving the life thereby, and of ferving God more
uniformly and acceptably therein. Ah ! the precious
feed that was fown at the beginning of thefe troubles !
What is become of it ? How is every one turned afide
from the pure life, into fome idol or other of his own
heart ! fome into one way of worftiip, and fome into
another; fome into one notion, and fome into ano-
ther; and all joining together to keep the feed in
bondage, endeavouring either to bring it back again
to Egypt (to make it ferve there), or to deftroy and
bury it in the wildernefs. But the Lord hath vifited
this poor defolate feed, and hath been gathering it
from all quarters ; from amidft all empty forms on
the one hand, and all vain high notions on the other
hand ; and he will preferve it, overturning all his new
enemies, as well as his old.
This then is the fum of the anfwer.
I. No way, or particular ad of worlhip, under the
New Teftament, is acceptable to God, without his
fpirit.
2. All
196 Babylon the Great described.
2. All invented or imitated ways or a6ls of worihip,
t*o the performing whereof the moving, prefence, and
power of his fpirit is not necefiary (but men can per-
form them without it), are Babylonifh, and whore-
dom from that fpirit to which the true Chriftian is
joined, and in which all that he doth is performed.
3. Under this antichriftianifm, under this whore-
dom (even in the land of Babylon, where the true
Ifrael is captive), a true fimplicity towards God may
fometimes be ftirring.
4. "When this at any time is ftirring towards the
Lord, the Lord pities it, the Lord loves it, the Lord
accepts it. When this calls, the Lord hears, and
waits that he may be gracious, and return anfwers of
grace to it.
5. Though the Lord accept of this in the midft of
Babylon, and in the midft of the whorifti ways of wor-
ihip that have been learned there ; yet this doth not
make Babylon, or her ways of worftiip, acceptable ;
nor are they to be made ufe of (nor cannot) by any
that fears God, to juftify them.
6. Where they are fo made ufe of, and the Baby-
lonifti ways and forms of worftiip cried up (becaufe
of God's vifitations and tender mercy to his feed under
them), God is provoked, his prefence withdrawn, life
loft, and wrath prepared againft thofe forms and ways
of worftiip, which will reach to the very bowels of
thofe who are found there.
And let this word come home to your hearts, O ye
that ever knew what belonged to fweet communion
with God ! if God was fo tender to you in Babylon,
when he ftirred up in you a pure fimplicity and zeal
there, what would he have been to you, if ye had
come out of Babylon ? Ah ! ye have loft the fubftance
for a ftiadow ; and that not a right ftiadow neither,
but a ftiadow of your own formilig ! and now ye arc
iangry with them, who will not alfo leave the fubftance
to cry up your lliadow. Ah ! enter into your fecret
chambers, and let ftiame cover your faces ; ye who
would propagate that apoftafy from the Lord, which
your
Babylon the Grbat described-. 157
your own hearts have too far entered into, and are fo
deeply involved in. O that the eye were opened in
you which can fee it ! Do not your hearts a little feel
it ? O mourn after the Lord, and mourn after the lofs
of that which once (in fome meafure in you) was true
to the Lord. O that the loft fheep might be fought
out, and that which hath been fcattered (in the day
of your loftinefs, and feeking dominion and great
things) might be gathered again to the Lord ! for
great is the wrath and feverity that is towards you,
and he is become exceeding jealous for his feed's
fake J and judgment muft begin with you, who cry
out againft antichrift in one grofs flefhly appearance,
and yet are ferving him yourfelves, fome of you in
other forms, fome in fpirit.
This is a ftanding truth; whatever is not of the fpi-
rit of God in religion and worfliip, is of the fpirit of
antichrift. Whatever the fpirit of man hath invent-
ed or imitated, is not the thing itfelf, is not the true
worfhipi for the true worftiip is only and continually
in the fpirit, and never out of the fpirit. The true
praying is in the fpirit; the true finging in the fpirit;
the true preaching in the fpirit : whatfoever is out of
it, is of antichrift in man. Now therefore give up all
your religion, your knowledge, your worfhip, your
pradices, which are out of the fpirit ; and return
unto the Lord, and wait for his raifing of that feed
in you, which once began to fpring, but is now
flain, and lies in death and captivity under all thefe;
and the earthly part (wherein all this religion and
thefe praftices ftand) covers its blood, fo as ye can-
not fee how ye have (lain, and daily do flay, the juft
one.
Oh the blood, the blood, the innocent blood, that
daily cries to the Lord againft you ! How can the
Lord accept any of your fervices, while your hands
are full of blood ! while the pure fimplicity is flain,
the love grown cold, the life loft, and the whoriffi
way and path (wherein and whereby it was loft) cried
up for the way of God. Shall not the Lord vifit
for
1^8 Babylon the Great described.
for thefe things ? Shall not his foul be avenged on fuch
a nation as this ? Yea, his wrath is kindled, the fierce-
nefs of his wrath is kindled againft the profeffors of
this age, and wo is from the Lord towards them. Wo
to the Proteftant congregations, wo to the feleft
churches, wo to their pallors, who have helped them
to wander from the life to dead idols, which cannot
profit: wo to them who are exalted in notions and
high knowledge. Ye have judged and condemned the
Papifts, and the Lord hath found the fame fpirit of
idolatry in you ! but turn from your idols, return to
your fimplicity, put away your adulteries from be-
tween your breaits, and return to your firft love, and
the Lord will receive you, though ye have wandered
after many lovers, and have been inflamed with the
love of idols under every green tree : but in thefe
your church-ways and worfhips the foul of the Lord
abhors you, and all your former zeal and fimplicity
is blotted out and forgotten ; and in your prefent
adultery and idolatry fhall ye die, unlefs ye hear the
voice of the Lord recalling you, and turn at his re-
proof.
Now in tender bowels to help you a little, confider
that which follows :
The fame fpirit that flealeth away the true fimpli-
city, raifeth up and ftealeth in a falfe image thereof;
which there is no perceiving at prefent, unlefs the
foul lie very low, and be kept open and clear in the
pure light.
And as in the true fimplicity, the true light, the
true knowledge, the true faith, the true hope, the
true love, the true meeknefs, the true zeal, the true
poverty and humility, &c. fprings up and is nourifh-
ed ; fo in the falfe iriiage of fimplicity (which the
devil fecretly conveys in, when he fi:eals away the
true) there is a likenefs of all thefe fpringing up and
growing.
And here is the beginning of Babylon in the heart i
here are the inward riches and treafures thereof. "What
can Sion pretend to, which Babylon hath not in the
refemblance ?
Babylon the Great described. i^g
refemblance? Is there fimplicity of heart in Sion ? And
is there notfimplicity of heart among the inhabitants of
Babylon ? Yea, a falfe image. Is there light in Sion ?
And is there not alfo light in Babylon ? Yea, there is
the light of the fun, and the light of the moon, and the
light of the ftars v/hich fell from heaven, and the
light of many candles fliining in Babylon. Is there a
true knowledge in Sion ? There is knowledge, falfely
fo called, in Babylon. A falfe knowledge of the crofs
of Chrift ; a falfe knowledge of his death ; a falfe
knowledge of his blood, without feeling the living
virtue thereof, which truly walheth away the fin. So
for faith, hope, love, meeknefs, zeal, humility, &c.
there are falfe images of all thefe in Babylon, and of
whatever elfe is wrought in truth in the inhabitants of
Sion.
Now when the truth is loft, and the falfe image
crept in (both which are done at unawares, while the
hufbandman is afleep, and fo he perceives it not, but
thinks in his very heart that it is ftill the feed of truth
that is growing up in him), then begins the myftery
of fornication, idolatry, witchcraft, and all manner of
fpiritual wickednefs and deceit to work in the heart.
Thy believing, thy hoping, thy love, thy zeal, thy
praying, thy waiting, &:c. all here is abomination ; ic
is from a falfe root; it is of a falfe kind; it is nor of
the true feed : the enemy hath ftolen away that, whilft
thou waft negligent and flumbering; and all this ari-
feth in thee from the feed which he did fow inftead
thereof, and is the fruit of the land of Babylon.
And having thus committed inward whoredom in
thine own heart, then thou feekeft and fetteft up out-
ward ways of whoredom alfo. Having firft fct up an
inward image of the inward life of the faints, thou
then feekeft and fetteft up another image of their out-
ward worftiip; an image of a church, an image of a
miniftry, an image of ordinances, an image of pray-
ing, an image of finging, an image of preaching, an
image of baptifm, an image of the flints communion.
And thus thou art defiled within and without : and art
mad
200 BaSylon the Great describe^;
mad with envy and rage that thou canft not bewitch
the inhabitants of Sion (who are kept pure from all
thefe defilements, and referved as witnefles againft thee)
into thy bed of whoredoms. And thus, while thou
thinkeft thou art the chief worfhipper, thou art all
over polluted ; " the whole head is fick, and the whole
" heart faint;" there is no cleannefs, no foundnefs,
within or without, but " wounds and bruifes, and putri-
" fying fores," which " have not been clofed, neither
" bound up, nor mollified with oil:" but the hurt of
the daughter of my people hath been healed deceitfully,
by phyficians of no value, who have not the oil. Ifa. i.
5, 6. and Ezek. xiii. lo.
This is generally the ftate of profeflbrs of this day;
but they cannot fee it: for they have put out the eye of
the fimplicity (wherewith alone God will fufFer the
things of life to be feen), and God hath blinded the
eye of their wifdom, that they Ihall not fee, nor be
converted and healed that way. So that exceeding
miferable is their eftate : they will not fee God's way,
and God will not let them fee their way. So that
though there be " line upon line, precept upon pre-
*' cept, here a little, and there a little; yet it is that
'' they might ftumble, and fall, and be fnared, and
*^ broken, and taken." For as difcoveries of truth
grow more clear and manifeft; fo they grow more
hardened againft it. And as they, on the one hand,
increafe in walking contrary to God; fb God, on the
other hand, proceeds in walking contrary to them ;
delighting more and more to ftumble the wife dif-
puting part, which would fo fain know, but muft be
made blind, that the eye of the babe may be opened,
which fees that in the childifti fimplicity, which the
other eye can never reach in the moft manly wifdom.
Therefore put away all your images and likeneiTes of
truth: put away your falfe faith (which can never
overcome the worldly nature and fpirit in you), and
your falfe hope (which can never purify your hearts),
and your feigned humility, and felf-willed fafts (which
can never bring down the lofty exalted nature in you),
and
Babylon the Great described. 201
and your falfe love (wherewith ye can never love the
brethren in the truth, but only the brethren in your owa
notions, or fome fuch other likenefs of the truth), and
your falfe zeal, nneeknefs, holinefs, &c. (all which
ipring and grow up from the wrong feed, in a feeming
fimplicity) : and all your praying, reading, preaching,
&c. which ye have taken up and do practice in your
own wills, which fhould be crucified ; and wherewith no
fervice, v/orfhip, or performance, can be pleafing to
God; and wait for the raifing of the true feed of life,
in the true fimplicity, whereby ye may ferve God ac-
ceptably here, and be faved hereafter. And be not
mockers, left your bands be made ftrong; for the con-
fumption is determined againft you by that Spirit of
life, whofe breath will wafte you. All fejh is graj'Sy
and the glory thereof as the floiver of the field! Surely
this people is grafs^ and their zeal and profejfwn of God,
like the fading flower.
SOME
[ 202 ]
SOME
Plain (QUERIES,
Drawn out of the Book of the Revelations,
for all Sorts of Profellbrs of this Age to anfwer
between God and their own Souls; that they
may fee whether they have received that Light
from him, which his Spirit judged neceiTary
to give forth, to keep People chafle to him,
and to preferve them from the feveral painted
Beds of Antichrift's Fornications and Whore-
doms from the Life.
" BlefTed is he that readeth, and they that hear the
" words of this prophecy, and keep thofe
'' things which are written therein : for the
" time is at hand," Rev. i. 3.
The time of deceit was then at hand for antichrift (with
his faife church, and falfe prophets) to get up, which
were to 1 aft till " the hour of judgment," Rev. xiv. 7,
8. Haft thou read? haft thou heard? haft thou kept
the things written in this book ? then happy art thou ?
But haft thou not read in the Spirit? haft thou not
heard the true found of thefe things from the Spirit
of life? haft thou not kept the things written there-
in? Then thou haft been deceived with the myftery
of iniquity, and muft fmart with the whore in the
hour of her judgment.
The QUERIES are thefe which follow.
I. TT7HAT woman was that which was clothed
W with the fun, and had the moon under her
feet, &c. Rev. xii. i. Whether it was the true church
or no?
U, What
Some Plain Q.U E R I E S. 203
.II. What that wildernefs was whereinto fhe fied; where
flie had a place prepared of God, that they Hiould
feed her there 1260 days? ver. 0.
III. How ]ong thofe 1260 days did laft ? and whether
they be yet expired? and whether the true church
is any-where elfe to be found all the time of the
12,60 days, but in that place in the wildernefs ?
IV. What are all the churches, the miniilry, the ordi-
nances, that appear out of the wildernefs all this
while, while the true church is there ?
V, What was that bead which came out of the fea ;
to which the dragon gave his power, his feat, and
great authority? which ail the world worfliipped?.
Rev. xiii. ver. i. to 5.
VI. What is that fea, and thofe fhips, wherein and
wherewith the merchants of the earth traded with
Babylon, and were made rich by their traffick?
what were thofe merchants? what their m.erchan-
dize ? and what kind of riches was this? Rev.
xviii. ver. 15 to 20.
VII. What was that name of God, and that tabernacle,
and thofe inhabitants of heaven, which were blaf-
phemed by the beads that arofe out of the fea, all
the time of the forty-two months? Rev. xiii. ver.
Vlll.What is the Lamb's boojcof life? and where is it?
and how are the names of any fo written in it, as
to preferve them from the worfhip of the beaft ?
Rev. xiii. 8.
IX. What is that beaft that came up out of the earth,
with the horns of a lamb (as if it came up i,n tlie
Lamb's power) which doth great wonders, and
juftifieth his facrifice, by making fire come down
from heaven in the fight of men ; who both caiifcd
men to make an imae;e to the firll beaft, and alfo
putteth life into the image which men make ?
Rev. xiii. ver. ii, &c. So that here is not a mere
dead image, but there is life in the beaiVs know-
ledge, ordinances, and worfliip: yet with God all
this is dead, for it is not the true life.
Vol. L S X, What
i04 Some Plain Q^UERIES.
X. What is the bead's mark, his name, his number?
(Rev. xiii. 17.) For if 1 do not infallibly know this,
I may have received his mark; I may help to make
up his name; I may be of his number, and be
(unknown to myfelf ) a worfhipper of him and
his image, and fo be liable to partake of the tor-
ment of the fire and brimftone threatened to fuch^
Rev. xix. 9, 10.
XI. "What is that fong, which none could learn but the
144 ;oo which were not defiled with women, but
remained virgins ? Rev. xiv. 3.
XII. What was that other woman, which took and kept
the place of the former woman, after Ihe had fled
into the wildernefs, and enlarged her territories
in nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples? Rev,
xvii. 4. and ver. 15.
XIII. What were the purple and fcarlet colours, and the
gold and precious ftones fhe was decked with ?
ver. 4.
XIV. What was the golden cup fhe had in her hand,
which was full of abominations, and filthinefs of
her fornications ; in the midft of all her glorious
appearance of zeal, devotion, humility, and
holinefs? ver. 4.
XV. What kind of drunkennefs w^s it, wherewith the
kings and inhabiters of the earth have been made
drunk with the wine of this cup ? Rev. xvii. 2.
2CVI. How may thofe who have hated the whore, and
made her defolate and naked, and eat her fiefh,
and burned her with fire, yet after all this, give
their kingdom again to the beaft? Rev. xvii. ver.
16, 17. How may this be done? and how often
may it be done?
Thefe are plain fimple queries, not to entangle mens
minds, or fet their brains on work (for that way fhall
they never be able to refolve them) but to awaken the
limplicity in them, which will readily let them fee
what the Lord hath revealed to them herein, and in
\vhich they are to wait for the knowledge hereof, that
they
Some CONSIDERATIONS, a:c. 205
they may efcape or come out of the fnare. And in
the mean time not to boaft, as Ifrael of old did (when
the prophets from the mouth of the Lord accufed
them) that they had not " polluted themfelves," they
had not " gone after Baalim" (Jer. xxii. xxiii. and
ver. 3S')' ^^^ wait, O back-fliding Chriftian! and thou
Ihalt " fee the way in the valley." And though thou
haft often traverfed thy ground to change thy path,
gadding from one form to another, from one notion to
another; yet all this hath been out of the life, out of
the pure power, and ftill in the whoredom. Open the
weak fick eye in the weak heart (for how weak is thy
hearty while thou hafi done all this /), and let the languifh-
ing fimplicity be my witnefs : for (under all thy wif-
dom, thy zeal, thy knowledge, thy worfhip) that faints,
that fails, that is not what it was in the begin-
ning. Though thou art grown much higher, wifer,
and greater otherwife, yet there thou haft, loft: and
happy wilt thou be, if all thy gains ever fince may be-
come lofs to thee for the recovering of this.
SOME
CONSIDERATIONS,
Helping out of the Suburbs or Out-fkirts of
Babylon, that her inward Building may be the
better come at, and lie more open to the Axe
^nd Hammer, which are to batter it down,
and to cut it for the Fire*
FIRST, confider what it was the church fled out of,
when ftie fled into the wildernefs. Was it not
out of that church-ftate or building, which the Spirit
C|f God had raifed up for her here in the world, to
S % which
2o6 Some CONSIDERATIONS, &c.
which her ordinances, and way of church-w'orlhip be-
longed? Was it not here that the dragon affaulted her,
and from whence fhe fled into a defolate place and
flate ?
Secondly, What fpirit entered into thefe, when fhe
fled out of them ? Were not thefe the conqueror's
fpoils ? Did not antichrift get pofleffion of the form ?
Did not the whore get the fpoufe's attire ? Did not the
wolves gather up the fheeps clothing, and clothe them-
felves therewith? Was not the outward court (what is
the outward court under the gofpel, but the vifiblc
church-flate, with the vifible ordinances thereof?) given
lo the Gentiles, who trod under foot the holy city, all
the while they were worlhipping in the outward court ?
Rev. xi. 2.
Thirdly, What fpirit is it direfts itien to thefe, fmce
the true church hath been fled out of them ? And to
what intent ? Is it not that fpirit which would keep
men from the life, that they might not be born of the
barren womb in the wildernefs, but be born of fome of
the fruitful wombs of the viflble churches j while the
true church is invifible, and hath no vifible place in
the earth, but remains in that place in the wildernefs
which God prepared for her, and where fhe receiveth
her food all the forty-two months? Rev. xii. ver.
6, 14,
I have finarted deeply for thefe things, and have
been taught by the briars and thorns of the wildernefs,
whereby my ears came to be opened, to hear the found
of the everlafting gofpel, to which they were before
through ignorance flopped. For I alfo did believe
and expect great things in a church-flate and way of
worfhip-, and in fimplicity of he^rt did I enter into it,
and walk in it, and was not without knowledge,
'warmth, and experiences there. But all this the Lord
broke down by a itrong hand, in one moment j and
hath taught me fince to throw away all my gains here,
and elfewhere, and to count them but drofs and dung,
for the excellency of the knowledge of Jefus Chrifl
my Lord. And having tafted, having feen, having
felt.
Some CONSIDERATIONS, Sec. 207
felt, having handled, I cannot but commend the life;
and dilRiade all men from all knowledge, all worfhip,
all religion, all ways and practices (though ever lb
taking, pleafant, and promifing) out of the life. And
this is to know Chrill; namely, to know the life: and
this is to obey Chrift, to obey the life: and this is the
kingdom of Chrift which is to com.e, to have the life
reign in power and great glory. But the knowing or
believing of an hiftory concerning Chrift, this is noc
the knowledo-e or the faith: antichrift all alons the
apoftafy, in all his various forms and drefles, hath
known and believed thus: and this kind of knowledge
muil pafs away further than it can find a place and
fervice in the life. Be not angry at my teftimony; it
flows from pure love, and comes forth in great good-
will to your fouls.
Yea, if it be pofTible that I might be a little fervice-
able to you (for my foul travails for the redemption of
profeflbrs from the witchery of the whorifh fpirit, even
of fuch as are ready to revile that which alone can re-
deem them), in the meeknefs and coolnefs of your
fpirits, out of the fiery faife zeal, confider yet a little
further thefe few things following :
1. The ftate of the gofpel is aninvifible ftate, a ftate
confifting of invifible things (as the law was a vifible
ftate, or a ftate confifting of vifible things); the light
invifible, the life invifible, the power invifible; that
which converts invifible, that which is converted in-
vifible, that which it is converted to invifible, and the
whole courfe of fpiritual life lies invifible.
2. This invifible ftate hath a vifible way of appearance
to the world, by garments which it wears, by motions
and exercifes which the life choofeth for it to appear in.
3. Thefe garments are fubjecl to corrupt, and to be
worn by that which is corruptible, and corrupted. That
which hath not the life, may put on the garment-, and
that which hath loft the life, may ftill keep the gar-
ment.
4. The prefervation of the life lies not in the gar-
ment, or in the obfervation of any thing wherein the
S 3 life
2o8 Some CONSIDERATIONS, &c.
life did once appear -, but the prefervation of the gar-
ment lies in the life. And the life may change its gar-
ment at its pleafure, and mayrefufe to wear thofe any
more which the whore hath worn, but as the life again
leadeth.
5. When the life is at any time loft, the only way of
recovery is by retiring to the invifible, and keeping
there, and growing up there j and not coming forth in
the vifible further than the life leads, nor Haying there
any longer than the life fbays.
Now this is the miftake of perfons generally j they
look for the finding the invifible life in vifibles. They
run to corrupted ordinances and ways of devotion, and
think to find God there: but do not wait to feel him in
their hearts, and to be led by him into what he pleafeth j
and to ftay no where any longer than while he ftayeth
there, but to follow the Lamb wherefoever he goeth.
Some others miftake in running to that, and waiting
there where they once felt life, but do not know the
way to wait on the life itfelf : and fo they are running
to an image, waiting at an image, worfhipping of an
image, and the living God v/ill not meet them there.
But throw away your images; let Ephraim, the dear
child, fay to his idols. Get you hence ; thruft away
your adulteries which provoke the eye of God's jealoufy,
receive the fore-runner (the ievcre purifier) into your
bofoms, and let the fire of his jealoufy cleanfe your
hearts, and the pure will foon come after, and lodge
again between your breafts. — Can ye hear this found ;
That which is born of the fame wifdom, cannot but
hear it ; but the other birth muft have its ear ftopped ?
Now hearken to this advice. When the invifible
life is felt and known, do not difdain to follow it
into whatever vifible thing it leads. Let not thy wifdom
be judge what the life will lead into, or what the life
is to be followed in; but let the life itfelf be judge:
and let the child, which is born of the life, follow it
fingly, without murmuring, without difputing. The
life hath foolifh ways (to the eye of thy wifdom) of
breaking the wifdom in thee, which is contrary to it,
which
An exhortation, &c. 209.
which thy wifdom will be reafoning and difputing
againft; and if that wifdom be hearkened to, the life is
overturned in its courfe, and the head of the ferpent
remains found in thee, which the foolifh and weak
things (which the wifdom of God choofeth to crofs
and dillurb it by) would help to break and crufh.
A N
EXHORTATION
T O T H E
PRESENT POV/ERS.
BABYLON the Great, the myftery of iniquity,
which hath deceived and held captive the whole
Chriilian world for thefe many generations, under forms
and appearances of godlinefs and devotion, is at length
come into remembrance before God, who is arifen to
judge her, and overturn her feat. The army hath
been preparing, and many foldiers have been drawn
forth ; the trumpet hath founded, the battle is begun,
and blood hath been fhed on both fides j the blood of
the creature on the one fide, the blood of the whorilh
fpirit on the other fide.
The whore (with the power of the bead on which
ftie rides, and by whofe llrength and affiftance flie makes
war with the Lamb) is mighty and dreadful: and it
hath long been faid, " Who is able to make war with
*' the bead?" (whofe ftrength is hers). But the Lord
God (who hath rifen out of his holy habitation to
judge, and hath begun to judge her) is more mighty;
by whofe arm and Itrength fhe Ihall fail, and the bealt
S 4 fhall
210 An exhortation, kc,
Ihall not be able to carry her up and down any longer;
nay, nor to uphold her in her ieat of government over
the confciences of men.
Be wife now, therefore, and confider the prefent flate
of things J and if ye find not hearts to help the Lord
againft the mighty, yet take heed of helping the
mighty againft the Lord. The vefTels wherein the life
arifes and appears, are poor and very contemptible, and
ye may eafily trample upon them : but the life which
rifeth up in them is very precious, and too ftrong for the
powers of earth or of hell. The Lord did not appear
formerly among you, or of late begin to raife you up
again, that ye ftiould become enemies to him, or
aiders of his enem.ies againft himj but that ye might
let his feed go lorth to worfliip him in the wildernefs
(for in this dark land of Egypt they cannot). There-
fore break the yokes, and take off the burdens, and let
there be no new fnares laid ; but leave the confcience
(whtfre the Lord choofeth to appear, and which he de-
lights to draw out of the world to himfclf) free to the
Lord.
The Lord hath kindled, and is kindling, the fire
with which he is burning, and will burn, the fielh of
the whore. Come not near to help her, left ye feel the
flames. Stand afar off" and fee her burning, and at moft
pity her, but help her not.
V/e fight not againft the flefti and blood of creatures,
but againft that evil fpirit which captivates and makes
them miferable : nor do we fight with carnal weapons,
but with luch weapons as are able to reach that fpirit.
Now if ye interpofe with your carnal weapons, and
fmite the veffel which the Lord is pleafed to make ufe
of in this warfare, his hand will be upon you: yea, if
ye endeavour to bear off the ftroke from the whore,
it will light upon yourfelves, and the Lord's hand (and
his ftrokes in this day of his jcaloufy and vengeance)
is very heavy.
Do what ye can, ye fliall not be able to hinder the
Lord's vidory (who will overcome, even by this very-
people, whom the wife of all forts dcfpife). All that
ye
POSTSCRIPT. 211
yc can do in taking part with the enemy, is but to
bring wounds and judgments upon yourfelves, and
to jfhorten the days of your government. But the
work of the Lord will go on and profper; and this
painted harlot (which pretends to be the fpoufe of
Chrift, and has decked herfelf fo pleafingly with her
ftolen knowledge of fcriptures, and lays claim to his
minillry and ordinances) fnali be ftripped naked, and
her Ihame feen, and every child in the life fhall be
able to point at her •, and the fong of triumph over
the dragon, the beaft, the falfe churches, and all the
falfe prophets (who are not made, nor prophefy not,
by the anointing) Ihall be fung in righteoufnefs, even
to the Lamb, who daily getteth, and will get, perfed:
vidory: for to him it is given over all his enemies.
POSTSCRIPT.
TH E redemption of the foul is by the Spirit of
the Lord; which he that would enjoy from it,
mud know its appearance and operation in himfelf, and
not quench or limit it, but univerfally be lubje6t to
its guidance and leadings. All man's inward mifery
arifes from man's inward rebellion, which is as the fin
of witchcraft (fpringing from the fpirit of witchcraft).
His recovery and happinefs is in the faith and obedience
to the pure power, movings, and operations of the
Spirit in him.
The Lord God, who made mankind, who is the Lord
of all, he is redeeming a people to himfelf by his
Spirit. And this Spirit will not be limited by the
powers of the earth, but will break nations in pieces,
and trample upon princes as mortar, and as the potter
trcadeth clay, till it hath made its way through them.
O ! open the eye, the inward eye, which can difcern
the feafons. It is not now the time for antichrift to
prevail, or for proud flefh to rife up in its heady will,
to
212
POSTSCRIPT.
to flop the out-goings of its Maker. This feafon is
paftj and the feafon of the prevailing of the life and
power of the Son of righteoufnefs is now come.
Therefore lift up your heads, O ye weak and faint of
the flock! for iniquity and oppreffion muft fall both
•within and without; and the tender God of everlafting
love will turn back the captivity of his people, and
of his creatures. Be not therefore affrighted at the in-
ward Fpower of fin in the heart, nor at the outward
opprefling powers of the earth: for the Redeemer's
ftrength is above all, and he is ftretching forth his
mighty arm to fave : in the true and living faith of the
eled it is felt.
And O ye potflierds of the earth ! ftrive not with
your Maker, limit him not, for he will aflliredly break-
through you. Think not to fubjecl him to your laws;
but learn his law, come under his yoke, and be bound
by him, that ye may tafte of his liberty. Wafn your
lips, and kifs the Son, and be not angry at his various
appearances fo contrary to your wifdom ; but fear his
dreadful name, and his threlhing inftrument which
hath teeth ? and feek an hiding-place under the fhadow
of his wings, againft the fharp feafon of the breaking-
forth of his wrath, and jealous indignation for the
caufe of Sion, which hafteneth apace.
He hath long let the fpirit of Babylon have its
liberty, and his hath been filent : now is the time for
his Spirit to fpeak, and for Babylon's to be filent. Will
ye ftill force him to filence, and open Babylon's mouth ?
Will ye not fuffer him to fpeak, but according to the
laws and orders of Babylon ? Muft that counterfeit
queen ftill fit on the throne among you, and the true
princefs be made her fervant ? O let it not be grievous
to you, to fee the Spirit of the Lord arife, and make
Babylon appear Babylon ! Her wifdom, her knowledge,
her unity, her uniformity, her order, hercomelinefs, her
beauty, is but folly, confufion, diforder, and deformity
before the Lord. — Happy is the eye that fees it, and the
foot that turns from her.
There-
POSTSCPvIPT.
215
Therefore awake, arife, and ftand up from the dead.
Come out of the thick dark land, where the pure God
of life is not to be found : " Come out of Babylon, and
*' touch not the unclean," that the pure life may receive
you into unity with itfelf : but the fpirit that is un-
purged from its Babylonifh worfliips and practices, the
Lord will not fuffer to come near him. Therefore
fearch what is Babylon, and of Babylon, in all your
ways and worfliips ; and wait on the Spirit of the Lord
to be redeemed out of it, and feparated from it, or ye
tnufl remain feparated from the Lord, and not partake
of his life and virtue, from which that city, with all her
inhabitants, is fhut out for ever.
The Lord hath had a fore controverfy with this nation
(with her rulers, her teachers, and people) for his feed's
fake, which he hath been begetting to himfelf, and
calling forth to worfhip him (according to the pure
law of his Spirit of life) out of the ways, worfhips,
and heathenifh cuftoms of the earthly fpirit.
Ifrael is his firft-born, whom he will not have any
longer kept in bondage. They are his own, of his
own begetting and forming, of his own nourilhing and
bringing upj the plants of his own right hand, whom
he watereth with the dews of heaven, and with the
fliowers of his evcrlafting mercy and loving-kindnefs;
whom he hath gathered by the arm of his power, and
whom he leadeth and defendeth by his cloud and pillar
of fire ; over whom he is tender as of the apple of his
eye. They are his anointed ones, whom he will noc
have touched, but rebuketh kings and parliaments,
armies and councils, for their fakes; faying, " Touch
** not mine anointed; and do my prophets no harm."
Have ye not feen, how no (Irengthnor counfel hath
been able to prevail againft them? They have had no
fence, but the arm which hath gathered them. What
plottings and contrivings have there been againft them.
How are they, as fheep appointed for the flaughter,
deftined to be devoured, cruflied, and trodden under
footj what divinations and enchantments have been
ufed
214 POSTSCRIPT.
ufed againft them, even to blot out their name and
remembrance from the earth ?
But why do ye flrive and contend thus with the God
of Jacob? Can ye profper? He that made the earth,
will not ye let him have room therein for his people ?
Muft they be fubjed to your wills? Mufl they bow to
your image? Shall not the God of the fpirits of all
flefh have the command of the fpirits of his own peo-
ple ? Can ye (lop the Spirit of God from breathing
upon them? Or will ye fall foul upon them, if they
be obedient to the breathings and movings of his
Spirit ? May it not fuffice that they are innocent and
harmlefs among you in their converfations and prac-
tices, but will ye ftill lord it over their confciences ?
Will ye put the Lord to it, to the very laft, to try it
out with you, whether he can defend his people, and
make way for their liberty?
Well! If peace be taken from youj if your rulers,
laws, and governments be broken in pieces ; if his
hand be ftretched forth againft you ; if he curfe your
very bleflings, whom can ye blame ? Why do you
provoke him againft your own fouls? Are ye ftronger
than he? If ye be ftronger and wifer, ye may prevail :
but if he be ftronger, and will put forth his arm, his
people fhall be faved and find a fhelter in him, in the
midft of all that wrath which is pouring down upon
you. Your peace hath been lengthened out for their
fakes. " If it had not been for their fakes" (for the
remnant which the Lord hath had to gather) " ye had
*' ere this been as Sodom, and like unto Gomorrah:'*
The land is full of filthinefs, which the Lord's foul
loathsi and inftead of drawing forth the fword againft
it, ye draw it forth againft his witnefTes. There is
liberty enough for fin and vanity, for excefs and riot-
oufnefs, for images and idols: but to worlhip God in
fpirit, to obey his pure movings ; this kindles your
rage, and thefe are the people who are a burthen to you.
Ah! how fain would ye eafe you of this people! (Sion
is indeed a burthenfome ftone, and will fall heavy on
all that meddle with her). But the Lord will eafe him-
felf
POSTSCRIPT. 215
felf of the adverfaries of his life and Spirit, and he
will bringforch his righteoufnefs which he hath prepared,
and let it up in the earth, and none fhall be able to ftop
him. Therefore gather yourfelves together in battle;
aflbciate yourfelves, that ye may be broken in pieces;
take counfel together, it fhall come to nought; fpeak
the word, it fhall not fland : but the Lord's counfel
fhall fland, and he will fulfil all his pleafure, and will
delight himfelf in his people, and raife them up by
the fall of their enemies: and then ye fhall fee againll
whom ye have plotted and contended, and what ye
have helped to bring about by all your fecret plots
and dcfigns. " If the Lord had not been on our fide,
" now may Ifrael fay-," if the Lord had not been on
our fide, what had become of his poor people! Ah!
poor worm Jacob, how often would the foot of pride
have trampled thee down (again and again), had not
the everlafling arm been ftretched out for thee! But
fear not, worm Jacob, nor be folicitous for thy prefer-
vation, but truit that arm which delighteth to preferve
thee.
Ah ! foolifh people and unwife ! who ftrive againft
your own mercy •, who fee not on what hinge all your
mercies hang, but make it your work to break down
the wall that defends you !
• Jerufalem is the city of the great king, which is
coming down from heaven: and Ifrael is his people;
and both muft have a place in the earth. The Lord
hath determined it, and who can withftand it ? What
prejudice can Jerufalem, or the inhabitants thereof,
bring unto you ? They are enemies, indeed, to this
earthly ftate of things, and would have all brought
into fubjedion to the life and power of their king, and
all that ftands in oppofition to God brought down,
and made pliable to his fpirit; and this the unyoked
earthly fpirit cannot bear. But this is the interefl of
your fouls, and the way to unity with that life which
is their happinefs, peace, and reft for ever. For if yc
pould pafs through the fire, and bear the burning up
pf your drofs, ye alfo might become vefTels for the
finer.
2i6 POSTSCRIPT.
finer, and might dwell with them in their evcrlafling
habitation.
The faints formerly had an entrance miniftered to
them into the everlafting kingdom, and came unto
Mount Sion, which cannot be removed; and to Jeru-
falem, the city of the living God, Heb. xii. 22. where
the blood of fprinkling, the peace that pafleth under-
ftanding, the everlafting righteoufnefs, and the joy un-
fpeakable and full of glory, was witneffed in the re-
newed fpirit, which receiveth the kingdom which can-
not be fnaken, and entereth into the everlafting reft.
And it is again revealed, and the witnefles fliall af-
cend into heaven in the fight of their enemies ; even
into the new heaven and the new earth, where righte-
oufnefs dwells i and the old heaven and old earth
(with all their inhabitants) ftiall be burnt up : and then
it ftiall be feen that righteoufnefs becomes, and be-
longs to, the houfe of God for ever. And his city
(hall be a quiet habitation, free from all the noife and
hurry of Babylon -, where the pure river of life runs
clear, free from all the mud and mixtures of Babylon ;
and the Lord God of infinite fulnefs will not difdain
communion with his creatures, but will tabernacle
among them, dwell with them, fup with them, walk
in them, and take them into his holy habitation, and
they ftiall dwell with him, fup with him, and walk in
bim.
But who ftiall abide in his tabernacle? who ftiall dwell
in his holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and work-
cth righteoufnefs, and fpeakcth the truth in his heart,
Ofc. he who contemns the vile perfon (how great and
high focver), but honoureth them that fear the Lord,
be they otherv^ife what they will. This man ftiall dwell
on high, above the reach of all low, creeping, darl<;
fpirits, even in that holy habitation of life and power^^
which nothing can touch or annoy.
I ftiall now conclude with a few words concerning
the prefent eftate of this poor diftraded nation.
This nation hath long lain wounded and fick: ftie
hath had many phyficians (on whom flie hath fpent
tnuchj
POSTSCRIPT. 217
much) who hare promifed her fair, but have not ef-
feded her cure. Of late her wound hath been much
enlarged i yea, llie is become fick at her very heart,
and in great danger. Many are fpending their judg-
ment upon her; Ibme thinking a king would help ail,
fome a parliament, and fome hoping for good from the
army; but every eye fees her cafe to be very defperate.
Ah England, England! Thou ftriveft with thy Maker,
and he overturns thy llrength and councils. The life
and wifdom which thou defpifef!:, is that which alone
can heal thee. Thou ftriveft to keep off the ftrokes
from the enemies of God, and fmiteft his dear ones;
how can he fpare thee? Hand ftill joins in hand to
keep the Lord's ftroke from reaching Babylon, which,
he hath directed at her heart, and will not mifs her,
but will pierce through every thing that ftands in his
way. Though the cry hath long been. Hurt not the
tender conjciencey it is that on which God works, and
wherein he chufeth to appear, and with which he i^
pleafedj and pities. Many promifes have been, touch-
ing liberty of confcience; yet ftill the meek of the
earth, the innocent lambs of Chrift (thofe that are
faithful to the light of God in their confciences) are
perfecuted and fuffcr. What canft thou plead, O
England! why the Lord fliould not break thee all in
pieces, and fave his people himfelf, by and in the midit
of thy ruins 1 The Lord will have the vidory over
thee in this particular, about which he hath fo Jong
ftriven with thee. It would be better and eafier
for thee to yield unto, than be forced by, his hand.
Therefore, at length hear his voice, which hath fo
often and fo loudly cried unto thee, " Let my people
«' go, that they may ferve me.'*
THE
THE
[JEW OUTWARD:
BEING A
GLASS
FOR THE
PROFESSORS OF this AGE.
WHEREIN,
If they Read with Meeknefs, and in the true
Light, fuch of them as have not overllipped
the Day of their Vifitation, may fee their own
Spirits, to their own everlafting Advantage
and Comfort, by learning Subjection to that
which hath Power in it to deftroy the evil
Spirit in them.
CONTAINING
Some Exceptions and Arguments of the JEWS
againft CHRIST'S Appearance in that Body of
Flefh in their Days; which the prefent Professors
may view and compare with their Exceptions and
Arguments againft his Appearance in Spirit in
this Age J that they may fee and confider which
of them are the more weighty.
By Isaac Penington the Younger,
Vol, I. T
I
[ 221 ]
THE
PREFACE.
TH E Lord God of infinite goodnefs, who hath
ever dearly loved mankind, yet could never fo
appear to them fince the tranfgreflion, as to be owned
by them, till the veil was taken from before their
hearts. Ifrael in Egypt hearkened not to Mofes, be-
caufe of their anguifh and bondage. When they were
led out, they were ever and anon murmuring, and
picking quarrels againft him. Samuel they rejefted
(as the Lord lays to their charge) j though they might
excufe themfelves, and fay they had juft exceptions
againft his fons. Elijah, that mighty man of God,
the great reftorer of Ifrael, and pleader againft Baal by
fire, his life was fought for. And though there be not
a particular record of their ufage of the prophets
about thofe days, yet in general he complains that they
were all flain but himfelf, i Kings xix. lo. Micaiah
was fmitten on the cheek, and jeered by the falfe pro-
phet who fmote him, and faid, " Which way went the
'^ Spirit of the Lord from me to fpeak unto thee?"
And he was commanded to be put in prifon, and fed
with bread of affliclion and water of affliflion. Jere-
miah was put into the dungeon, even to the danger of
his life : and by thofe few that were left, that feemed
fingly to inquire by him concerning the will of the
Lord (Jer. xlii. 2, 3.), difdainfully rejedled, chap,
xliii. 2. Why fliould I fpend time in particular in-
ftances ? What prophet can I except? for though all
their bad dealings with them are not related in fcrip-
ture, yet Chrift teftifies that they did deal badly with
them all j fome of them they ftoned, fome of them
they fcourged in their fynagogues, fome of them they
T z killed
222 PREFACE.
killed and crucified, and others they perfecuted from
city to city. " Yea," faith Stephen, " which of the
" prophets have not your fathers perfecuted? And
*' they have (lain them which fhewed before of the
" coming of the juft one." Ye make it fuch a
ftrange thing, that if Chrift had been a prophet, ye
fhould not own him ; why which of the prophets was
owned? Ye have dill fome exception or other againft
us, that we are not the prophets of God ; and againft
our meffage, that it is not the mind of God. Ye
take arguments from one prophet's words to oppofe
another prophet with; and from one prophet's manner
of coming, to oppofe another prophet's manner of
coming. If John come neither eating nor drinking,
ye reje6t him for his aufterenefs: if Chrift come both
eating and drinking, ye rejeft him for his liberty and
freedom in the life. Now what is the reafon of this ?
Chrift himfelf gives the reafon ? Mat. xi. 19. *' Wifdom
** is juftified of her children." Ye are not the children
of wifdom, ye are noc oegotten of the life, of the
Spirit of the prophets, and lb cannot juftify that Spirit.
Ye have got the letter of the prophets, ye are born of
that ; but ye are not born of the life, ye are not born
of the wifdom. And fo whoever comes forth in the
fame birth from the letter with you, him ye can own;
but if any prophet come forth with that fame Spirit,
him ye cannot own. He that is born after the flefti,
cannot but perfecute him that is born after the Spirit.
Jerufalem was all along the perfecutor of the prophets,
from the beginning to the end.
And is this nothing to you, O ye profeffors of this
age! Search and fee who have been the perfecutors
among you, but they who have had the name of the
church and her prophets ? Who have flain the witnefles?
The church of Rome hath flain the witnefles againft
her, and the Proteftants have flain the witnefles againfl
them. About the beginning of thefe troubles, if a
man were never fo truly zealous, yet if he could not
conform to the Common-prayer-book and ceremonies,,
how wa§ he perfecuted? A Non-conformift, a So-
paratifti
PREFACE. 223
paratift, aBrownift, an Anabaptift, though owning the
fame Chrift in his very heart and foul -, yet, becaufe
his pradice was a teftimony againfb the falfe church-
worfhip of the common Proteftant, mufl be hunted
up and down to courts, imprifoned, fined, banifhed.
And to this day the Lord can bring forth no birth of
his Spirit, but the zealous profeflbr hates, reviles, and
feeks to deftroy it. If the Lord lay any law upon the
confcience, if it be not fuitable to their apprehenfions
from the letter, how do they reproach, difdain, revile,
and endeavour to render fuch odious to the magiftrates,
and to the people !
But why fhould we wonder at thefe things ? There
is no new thing under the fun. The ftate of the
world is juft as it always was. The power of Truth in
every age hath been ftill oppofed by thofe v*^ho cried
up the form. It were a wonder if it fhould be other-
wife. I fhould much more wonder, if the teachers
and profeiTors of this age fhould own Truth, than that
they fight againft it, and perfecute it. Well, friends
and brethren, be ftrong in the Lord, and faithful to
his Truth, in the power of his might : bear the re-
proach, the affli<5lions of this age, the perfecutions of
this your day. Verily your eyes fhall fee that there is
a reward for the righteous, and your hearts fhall be
farisfied with it, when the children of the kingdom
(of this age, as well as of Chrill:, and all former ages)
fhall be fliut out in utter darknefs, where fliall be
weeping, and wailing, and gnafhing of teeth.
T 3 THE
[ 224 ]
THE
JEW OUTWARD.
Sopie Exceptions and Arguments of the
JEWS againft C H RI ST's Appearance, &c.
TH E Jews were once the only outward vifible
people of God, who were chofen by God for a
peculiar people, who had the promife of, and expeded,
the MefTiahj whofe faith and hope of falvation was in
himj yea, and at that very time they were looking for
him, yet, when he came, he was " a ftone of ftumb-
*« ling, and a rock of offence" to them, and they
could by no means receive him. They were full of
reafonings, and doubts, and contendings about itj
but could never, with all their wifdom from the letter,
determine that was he. Though he lived as never man
lived} though he fpake as never man fpake ; though
he did what never man did j yet flill fome exception or
other they had from the letter of the fcriptures, to
which his manner^ of appearance, his converfation,
and his doflrine, did not jfuit in their judgment; and
fo, after many difputes and debates, they at length
delivered him up to death, as a blafphemer, a de-
ceiver, a feducer of the people.
_ Many exceptions and arguments they had againft
him; againft his defcent, his dodrine, his practices,
his miracles, his followers, &c. which I fhall refer to
heads, to make them more obvious.
I. They excepted at his defcent and kindred. " Is
" not this the carpenter's fon? Is not his mother called
*« Mary? And his brethren, James, and Jofes, and
" Simon, and Judas? and his fitters, are they not all
«« witk
Ths jew outward. 225
" with US;" Mat. xiii. ^Sy 5^- (What! this that glo*
rious Me/Tiah! the great king of glory, of whom all
the prophets prophefied and fpoke great things ! Surely
it cannot be.) " And they were offended in him,'*
ver. ^y. It was this made them they could not receive
that heavenly doftrine of his, which otherwife might
have been life to them, when he taught them that he
was " the bread of life that came down from heaven :'*
but they murmured becaufe of it, and faid, " Is not
** this Jefus, the fon of Jofeph, whofe father and
*' mother we know? How is it then that he faith, I
*' came down from heaven," John vi. 41, 42. So again,
John vii. 27. " We know this man whence he is; but
" when Chrift cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.'*
This was a clofe argument, and was raifed up to eat
out a deep impreffion of his being the Chrift, as may
appear from the foregoing verfe. He fpeaketh indeed
boldly, and deep things, &cc. as if he were the Chrift;
but how can he be he, feeing it is known from whence
he comes?
2. At his country, or place of his education and re-
fidence, which was Nazareth of Galilee. " Can there
'' any good thing come out of Nazareth?" John i. 46.
** Shall Chrift come out of Galilee?" John vii. 41.
" Search and look; for out of Galilee arifeth no pro-
** phet," ver. 52.
3. y^t the time and feafonof his coming. He came (as
to their {tn(^) before Elias. With this argument they
pinched the difciples, as is fignified in that query of
theirs to Chrift, ^' Why then fay the Scribes, that Elias
" muft firft come?" Mat. xvii. 10. This could not
but be a fore argument in the mouth of the Scribes,
who might reafon with the difciples on this wife : what
poor, ignorant, fottifti, deluded people are you, to own
this man for your mafter, and take him for the Meftiah?
Elias muft JFirft come, and reftore all things. If this
man preached ever fo heavenly doftrine, and did ever fo
many miracles j yet, if he pretend to be the Meftiah,
he can be but a deceiver : for the true Meffiah comes
not before Elias j and every one knows that Elias is not
T 4 yec
226 The JEW OUTWARD'.
yet come, nor his work of reftoring all things fo much
as begun.
4. His doclrine adminiftered abundance of offence
to them, and they were continually ftumbling at it.
That heavenly do6lrine, mentioned a little before, that
he was " the bread of life," they murmured at, John vi.
41. When he did but fay " God was his Father," they
prefently flew out upon him, and faid, " he made him-
" felf equal with God," John v. 18. When he faid,
" Deftroy this temple, and in three days I will raife it
" up," they mifunderftood him, and brought it forth
as an argument againft him at the time of his fuffering.
Mat. xxvi. 61. and caft it as a jeer in his teeth, Mat.
xxvii. 40. When he did but fay to the man fick of the
palfy, " Son, thy fins are forgiven thee;" the Scribes
and Pharifees prefently exclaimed againft him, " Who
<^ is this that fpeaketh blafphemies ? Who can forgive
" fins but God alone?" Luke v. 21. and chap. vii. 49.
When he preached very powerfully againfl covetoufnefs,
the Pharifees derided him^ Luke xvi. 14. Yea, when
he did but preach a parable or two about " the widow
" of Sarepta, and Naaman the Syrian" (it coming a
little clofe to their ftate) " all they in the fynagogue
" were fo filled with wrath, that they rofe up and
" thruft him out of the city, and led him unto the
" brow of the hill, to caft him down headlong," Luke
iv. 28, 29. At his faying that " Abraham rejoiced to
" fee his dav, and he law it, and was glad ;" the Jews
replied, " Thou ; rt not yet fifty years old, and hafh
" thou feen Abraham ?" John viii. 57. How abfurd
and impofTible was this to them, that a man of not
fifty years fhould fay, that Abraham (who lived fo
many ages before) faw his day 1 And inftead of giv-
ing them an argument to demonilrate it to them, he
only returns them a more confident affirmation, "Verily,
*' verily, I fay unto you, before Abraham was, I am,"
ver. 58. Which fo enraged them, that <* they took up
" ftones to caft at him," ver. 59. Now mark: the
life fpeaks what it fees and knows, and fo it gives forth
its teftimony. The wife profellor, not being in the life,
cannot
Tut JEW OUTWARD. 227,
cannot know or receive the teftimony; but calls for
arguments and demonflrations to his wile eye. The
life refufeth to anfwer him ; but inftead thereof, only
affirmeth the thing more ftrongly and confidently. This
(being fo far from that which he looks for, and re-
quires to fatisfy him) kindles difdain and rage in him:
and he looks upon the life, for this way of proceeding-,
as worthy to be floned. What! when they Ihould lay
before Chrift a fair argument, whereby they might
plainly convince him by evident reafon that he could
not fee Abraham's day, and he, inltead of anfwering
it, fhould only bring forth a more confident affirma-
tion, would not mens wifdom, in this age, even hifs
at fuch a thing ? Yet this was the way of the life then,
in that day; and the life may, at his pleafure, take the
fame way again now, to offend the wife and knowing.
When he fpake of his being '^ the good fhepherd,"
and of his " laying down his life for his fheep" (and
of the hirelings flying, in time of danger, to fave
himfelf) John x. 11, 12. many of the Jews faid, " He
" hath a devil, and is mad. Why hear ye him?" ver. 20.
Many of them that were then the people of God (the
feparated people; for the Jews were a people feparated
from the world, and ftudied the law^ and obferved the
ordinances of Mofes) looked upon Chrift as a man
nor fit to be heard fpeak; but as a mad-man, as one
that had a devil, as one that might have great power
of deceit from the devil, to bewitch men from truth?
" Why hear ye him?" What good can ye exped from
him ? '' He hath a devil, and is mad." O how def-
perately will bold flefli venture to judge of the life
and power of God, when it hath got a little knowledge
from the fcriptures, and a way of worlhip, duties, and
ordinances !
When he faid, " I and my Father are one," John x.
30. " they took up ftones again to Hone him," ver. 31.
and made no queftion but they did well in doing of it,
as appears by their anfwer to his demand, for which of
his good works they ftoned him? They replied very
confidently, " For a good work wc Hone thee not -, but
" for
aaS The jew OUTWARD.
*' for blafphemy; and .becaufe thou, being a man,
*^ makeft thyfelf God," ver. 32, 33. And when he
faid, *' If a man keep my faying, he fhall never fee
*' death," Johnviii. 51. then faid the Jews unto him,
" Now we know thou haft a devil. Abraham is dead,
" and the prophets are dead. Who makeft thou thy-
" felf?" ver. ^2' Were not Abraham and the prophets
holy men? Had not they the fayings of God? And
did they not keep the fayings of God? Yet they are
dead. Such a kind of fpeech as this muft needs be
from the devil. Now thou makeft manifeft from what
fpirit thou fpeakeft. " Now we know that thou haft a
" devil." And indeed how could the profefTors of that
age digeft fuch things, being fo contrary to what ap-
peared to them to be certain truth in the fcriptures.
And there were many other things as hard to themj
though the exceptions which might or did arife in their
minds, are not particularly mentioned j as when he
faith, " 1 am the door of the flieep. All that ever
" came before me are thieves and robbers; but the
*' ftieep did not hear them," John x. 7, 8. How of-
fenfive muft this doftrine needs have been to them,
going carnally to underftand and reafon about it ?
What ! were all the prophets and holy men before
thee thieves and robbers ? Did the truth never come
till thou broughteft it ? What became of our fore-
fathers in former ages? Were they none of them God's
fheep ? Did none of them find the door? For thou
fayeft thou art " the door," and thou haft been but of
late. And whereas thou fayeft the ftieep did not hear
them; that is utterly falfe; for they did hear Mofes,
and they did hear the prophets, and we have their
writings, and will keep to them for all thee, let who
will be thy ftieep. When he faid, that " he came not
*^ to fend peace, but divifion," Mat. x. 25. how readily
might they reply, that his own mouth difcovered him
not to be the Mefliah, the Saviour, the Peace-maker;
but the worker of divifions, the caufe of breaches in
families, fetting three againft two, and two againft
three? Luke xxi. 51. When he faid, " Whofoever
" commit-
The jew OUTWARD. 229
*« committeth fin, is the fervant of fin," John viii. 34.
might not they well except againftthis, as condemning
the whole generation of the righteous, and making
null the way of facrifices, which God had appointed
for fins committed at any time by his people, which
could not but pre-fuppofe their commiffion of fin ?
Did not Abraham, Ifaac, David, Mofes, and the reft of
the prophets, all commit fin, and were they the fer-
vants of fin ? He taught alfo that the children of the
kingdom fhould be caft into utter darknefs. Mat. viii.
12. Oh how harfli would this found in the ears of the
zealous profefiing Jew, who was waiting and hoping
for the kingdom ! So in his dodlrine there Teemed many
contradidtions to the fleihly underftanding: for one
while he faid, " I judge no man ;" for I came not to
condemn the world: and yet was not he continually
judging and condemning the Scribes, the Pharifees,
the Priefts, the Lawyers, and that whole generation of
profefiTors ? So again, he came to feek and fave that
which was loft ; to preach the gofpel of peace : and
yet another while he faith, he came not to fend peace,
but a fword, and to kindle a fire, and to fet men at
variance, &c. Again, one while he faid, " I and my
•* Father are onej" another time, " My Father is
" greater than me." One while he bid men do as the
Scribes and Pharifees taught; another while he bid men
beware of the leaven or dodrine of the Pharifees and
Sadducees, Mat. xvi. 12.
But to what purpofe fiiould I heap up any more in-
ftances ? O thou that readeft this, wait to know in thy-
felf the ear that cannot hear Chrift's doctrine; while
thou condemneft the Jews, do not run into the fame
error of unbelief and gainfaying-, but wait to know the
voice of Chrift in this day, and to receive the ear that
can hear it: for though thou ftiouldft be willing to hear,
yet thou canft not till thy ear be opened. Nicodemus,
who could acknowledge Chrift " a teacher come from
** God," yet could not receive the doftrine of the new
birth from him, John iii. 4. And there were many
things the difciples themfelves were not able to bear :
for
230 The JEW OUTWARD.
for when, at a certain time, he fpake of " giving his
*' flefh to eat," not only the Jews, John vi. 52. but
they alfo, ftumbled, ver. 61. And who is there among
profeflbrs that can now bear it, or receive Chrift's own
interpretation of it? who faith, that " the flefli"
(which they underftood) "profiteth nothing;" but the
fielh which he meant was " fpirit and life," ver. 63.
5. At his praBices and converjation. " How is it that
<* he eateth with publicans and finners," Mark ii. 16.
''^ Behold a gluttonous man, and a wine-bibber j a friend
" of publicans and finners," Luke vii. 14. " This
" man, if he were a prophet, would have known who
" and what manner of woman this is that toucheth
*' him; for fhe is a finner," Luke vii. 39. At the Pub-
licans and finners drawing nigh to hear him, the
Pharifees and Scribes were offended, and murmured,
faying, " This man receiveth finners, and eateth with
" them," Luke xv. i, 1. And when he went to Zac-
cheus's houfe, they all murmured, faying, " that he
" was gone to be gueft with a man that is a finner,"
Luke xix. 7.
Again ; becaufe he healed on the fabbath, and juf-
tified his difciples in plucking of ears of corn on the
fabbath, *' they were filled with madnefs, and com-
" muned what they might do to him," Luke vi. 3.
" and took counfel how they might deftroy him,"
Mark iii. 5, 6. Another time, the ruler of the fyna-
gogue fpake with indignation about it, Luke xiii. 14.
Yea, *' the Jews did perfecute Jefus, and fought to
" flay him, becaufe he had healed a man, and bid him
*' take up his bed and walk, on the fabbath-day,"
John V. 8. 16. And fome of them made it a ftrong
argument againft him, " This man is not of God, be-
<* caufe he keepeth not the labbath-day," John ix. 16.
What! come from God, and be a breaker of ordinan-
ces ? Can thefe two ftand together? Read and confider.
What more ftri6l ordinance of God under the law than
the fabbath ? What one ordinance more conducing to
the honour and worfhip of God ? Did not their whole
religion and worfhip much depend upon it? How
could
The jew OUTWARD. 231
could this poffibly but be a great offence to them in
that fpirit, and literal wifdom fronn the fcriptures
wherein they flood? Yet Chrift, in his fiefhly appear-
ance, was Lord of the iabbathj and in his fpiritual ap-
pearance he doth not lofe his dominion.
Again; they excepted againll him, that he did not
teach his difciples to faft and pray, as John did, Luke v.
33. but could fuffer them to tranfgrefs the traditions
of the elders. Mat. xv. 2. He was not ftrict after the
Jewifh way of devotion, nor ftrict after John's way
neither ; but again ft the traditions of the godly elders
of the Jewifh church; againft fanftifying of the Lord's
fabbath (juftifying his difciples in plucking ears of
corn thereon ; whereas their forefathers the Jews were
not fo much as to gather manna on that day); againft
fafting and prayer: for he juftified his difciples in that
they did not faft and pray as John did, faying, " How
*' could they mourn while the bridegroom was with
*' them? Mat. ix. 15, And confider which way the
Jews (in the ftate they ftood) could underftand fuch
an anfwer as tliis, to reft fatisfied therewith?
6. They excepted " againft his miracles," partly be-
caufe he did them on the fabbath-day, John ix. 16.
whereupon they concluded he could not be of God
(for if he had been of God, he would have obferved
the day which God commanded); and if he wrought
them not by the power of God, by whofe power then
muft he work them ? So they concluded, " He cafteth
" out devils by the prince of the devils," Mat. ix. 34.
" He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of devils
" cafteth he out devils," Mark iii. 34. And having
thtis concluded in themfelves, there was no ear open
in tiiem to hear any thing that might be faid to the
contrary. And again, partly becaufe he did not anfwer
their wills, in giving them fuch a fign as they required:
for this was ftill their tone, "■ Mafter, we would fee a
" fign from thee," Mat. xii. 3S. " What fign ftieweft
*^ thou to us, feeing that thou doft thefe things ?"
John li. 18. And they more particularly exprefs what
fign^ they would have a ^^ fign from heaven, Luke xi. 18.
" What
232 The JEW OUTWARD.
*' What fign fheweft thou, that we may fee and believe
*' thee ?" John vi, 30. We are ready to be convinced,
^^'t are ready to believe, if thou wouldft give us fuf-
ficient ground of believing in thee. As for all thy
healing people, and calling out devils, Beelzebub,
the prince of devils, may furnifh thee with power
wherewith to deceive and bewitch us from the law and
ordinances of Mofes, which we are fure are of God ;
but iliew us a fign from heaven, or elfe blame us not
for not leaving Mofes to run after thee.
7. They excepted at the teftimony which the Spirit of
God in him gave concerning him. When he fpake the
inward teftimony, which the Spirit of God gave from
within, faying, " I am the light of the world; he that
*' followeth me fliall not walk in darknefs, but fhall
*' have the light of life," John viii. 13, they pre-
fently cried out, " Thou beareft record of thyfelf ; thy
*' record is not true, ver. 14. Mark his anfwer: " It
*' is written in your law, that the teftimony of two
*' men is true ; I am one that bear witnefs of myfelf,
*' and the Father that fent me beareth witnefs of me,'*
ver. 17, 18. How would fuch an anfwer pafs tiow in
thefe days, though the fame life fhould fpeak it ?
Would not the wife profeffors of this age even hoot
at it ? Yet the thing is known at this day, even the life
which the Father begets, and the Father's teftifying
of it, and with it. And thou that readeft this,
mighteft know it, couldft thou wait in the lofs of thine
own life, wifdom and knowledge, for it,
8. They excepted againfi his difciples and followers y
which were women, publicans, and finners; the com-
mon people, yea, the meaneft, the pooreft, and moft
ignorant (in their account), who were fitteft to be
deluded and led away. " Are ye alfo deceived ? Have
*^ any of the Rulers, or of the Pharifees, believed on
*« him ? But this people who know not the law are
" accurfed," John vii, 47, 48, 4^. The common
people, the ignorant people, the unfettled people^,
fuch as know not the law, fuch as underftand not the
fcriptures, they run after him, and cry him upj but
which
The jew OUTWARD, $33
whl/rh of the fettled ones, vihich of the truly zealous
ones, which of the wife men in the knowledge of the
law and prophets, which of the orthodox Scribes and
Pharifees, who keep clofe to Mofes, which of thefe
believe in him? Whom of them can he deceive? As
for the heady people, who (for want of knowledge
from the fcriptures) are ready to run after every new
fangle, they are not worth the minding, they are
dccurjed; and therefore no marvel, though God give
them up to follow this deceiver, and to cry up his new
light, and forfake the good old light of Mofes and the
prophets.
9. They excepted againft him, that he did not rebuke
his difciples, and the m.ultitude (fpreading their gar-
ments, cutting down branches from the trees, and
ftrewing them in the way) with the children that
cried Hofanna to him, as he rode on the afs's colt to
Jerufalem; but he rather juftined them, Luke xix. 31.
and Mat. xxi. 15, 16. What a ridiculous and vain
glorious piece of pageantry would this feem to the
flellily wife eye?
10. That he did not fhewfufficient authority for what
he did. " By what authority doft thou thefe things;
" and who gave thee this authority ?" &c. Mark xi. 28,
Thou takeil upon thee great authority over the people
of God, over their teachers, yea, over God's temple,
iabbath, and ordinances •, but where is thy authority
fo to do ? Shew us that, &c.
11. They excepted v/hen he fpoke of his fufFerings
and death. " We have heard in our law that Chrift
" abideth for ever; and how fayefl thou the Son of
^* Man muft be lifted up? Who is the Son of Man ?"
John xii. 34. Surely he that is to be lifted up cannot
be the Chrift that is to abide for ever, and not to die!
So that here, in one breath, thou haft overthrown all
that thou haft been fetting up by thy preaching and
piiracles. Now which way could they underftand this
thing? Nay, the very difciples themfelves could not
fwallow it, but were ftartled at it; and Chrift was fain
^o hide it d, lon^ time from (henci. And yet if there be
any
234 The JEW OUTWARD.
any thing held forth now in thefe days by the fame
Spirit (as concerning light and perfeclion, or other
truths which are feen in the Spirit), becaufe men can-
not apprehend them with their carnal iinderftanding,
and nnake them agree with their carnal knowledge of
the fcriptures, what liberty do they take to themfelves
to fpeak both againft the truth itfelf, and alfo againfl
them who have feen thefe things in the Spirit, and
fpeak them from the Spirit ? Now whofoever becomes
a difciple, muft wait in the obedience to know the doc-
trine, and not think to enter with that wifdom and
carnal reafoning from the fcriptures, which the Scribes
and Pharifees, and profefTors of that age were fhut out
with.
There were many other things which they could not
but except againft ; as at his anfwers to their queftions,
to which fometimes he was filent, and gave no anfwer
at all; at other times, he anfwered not diredly, but in
parables: (and how offenfive is this to man's wifdom,
who requires a pofitive and dire6t anfwer?) And fome-
times his anfwers might feem quite from the thing, as
John xii. 34, 35.
His not giving refpecb to perfons (for it was a known
thing of him that he regarded not mens perfons,
Mat. xvii. 16.) could not be very pleafing to them,
who loved greetings, and fought honour one of ano-
ther. He ihewed not refped: to Herod the kingj but
fpake contemptuoudy of him, as men would account it:
" Go, faith he, and tell that fox." He did not fliew
refpe£t to the reverend and grave dodtors of the law;
nay, nor to the high prieft himfelf. Nay, he did not
Ihew refpedl to his own difciples ; but faid to Peter
(when he mildly and alfc6lionately defired his death
might be avoided) " Get thee behind me, Satan."
How^iarfh and rough a reply might this feem! If Peter
had erred, though his affection and tendernefs to his
Mafter, a meek fpirit would gently have informed him;
but to call him devil, and fay, " Get thee behind me;"
what kind of fpirit doth this favour of? would that
profefling Jew fay, who knowcth not the true meeknefs.,
but
Tme jew outward. 23$
but feeks after a flefhly meeknefs, which is a fervant to
the flefhly wirdom and prudence, but not true-born.
Nay, he did not fpeak refpedfully to his own mother
(as man's Ijpirit, by its rule of refpeft, would judge
and condemn him) ; but faid, " Woman, what have
" I to do with thee?" John ii.4. And in a manner de-
nied all his relations, Mat. xii. 48.
Laftly (to inftance no more), at his harfii cenfures
of all the profefTors of that age (who obferved [he
law of Mofes, and Ifrael's ftatutes), with all theif
laborious and godly teachers; juftifying none but
himfelf, and what he taught, and a few of his follow-
ers. He told them, that they had not the " love of
" God in them," John v. 42. Did not this, think ye,
feem to them a very harfli charge ? And why not the
love of God ? Becaufe they did not follow him and
his new doctrine ? Yea, wbuld they be ready to fay,
they did love God, and kept his commandments, fab-
baths, and ordinances, which he tranfgrefTed.
He laid this alfo to their charge, that they did not
believe Mofes, John v. 46. What an unjuft charge might
this feem, when they were fo zealous for Mofes ; and
their very diflike of him, and controverfy againft him,
was for the fake of the law and ordinances of Mofes?
Another charge he laid to them was, that they were
not the children of Abraham, or of God; but of the
devil, John viii. 39. 42. 44. What a rafli cenforious
man might they account him, thus to fpeak of them,
who were the human feed of i\.braham, who were fuch
(iv'i^ obfervcrs of God's laws and ordinances (which is
the property of his children), and fuch enemies to the
devil, that they would not be drawn from the truths
and' way of worfhip taught by Mofes and the prophets;
no, not by all the miracles he could work !
He called them " a faithlefs and perverfe genera-
'^ tion," Mat. i. 17, 18.
H« told them that they did not kno'iv God; though'
tliey faid with confidence that he was their God, John-
xii. 54, 55. How could they bear this ? They hacf
been lludying the law and the prophets, and had a'
Vol. 1. U great
23S The JEW OUTWAiRD.
great flock of knowledge from thence, and were UndL
and exa6l in worlhip (fome of them, as well as Paul,
might be, according to the law blamelefs) and now to
be told they did not know God ? Nay, he that abound-
eth in knowledge, devotion, and worlhip, yet not be-
ing in the life and pure power of the Spirit, hath not
one dram of the true knowledge.
He told them that they fhould " die in their fins,'*
John viii. 2i. (O hard word, and fevere judgment!)
And yet he had told them a little before, that he judg-
ed no man, ver. 15. Yea, they did think themfelves
exceedingly wronged by him ; and thought that no man
that had any thing of God in him could fpeak fuch
things, but only one that was an enemy to the people
of God, and led by the fpirit of Satan. To this effedl
they exprels themfelves, ver. 48. of that chapter, " Say
** we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and haft a
*' devil?"
Yea, when he charged them with going about to kill
hinii they feemed in themfelves ^o clear in their own con-
fciences, that they anfwered, " Thou haft a devil.
** Who goes about to kill thee ?" John vii, 29. How
eafily might they clofe up the controverfy, and by this
very thing conclude him to be a falfe prophet ? He
fays, we went about to kill himj when (God knows)
there was not fuch a thing in our hearts. Can this man
be a true prophet? Yet Chrift knew the profeffing Jew
to be the murderer, and in and for his religion's fake
ftill feeking to flay him. And there is no fuch mur-
derer of Chrift (the life) upon the earth, as the zealous
profeiTor and worftiipper out of the life. He that is in
the life cannot perfecute any man j he that is out of
the life, cannot but perfecute him that is in the life.
Hereby the true and falfe Chriftian may be difcerned by
the weakeft fimple and fingle eye.
And then for their teachers and expounders of the
law, how exceedingly bitter did he feem againft them?
and how heavy things was he continually laying to their
charge? He called them blind guides, hypocrites,
painted fepulchres, graves which appear not, and pro-
nounced
The jew OUTWARD. 237
noiinced woe upon woe againft them. Read that one
place. Mat. xxiii. ^2' " ^e ferpents, ye generation of
" vipers, how can you cfcape the damnation of hell ?"
What ! fpeak thus of our zealous teachers, who ftudy
the law, are ftrid in pra6lifing of the ordinances, and
take fuch pains to inftrudt us in the mind of God from
Mofes and the prophets ? Was fuch a man as this fit
to live ? Nay, and he does not fhew a gofpel fpirit.
Mark how fharp and bitter his words come from him
(for indeed a fharper fpeech, with greater vehemency
and indignation of fpirit, can hardly be fpoken); and
they might feem to aggravate this fharp condemnation
of his from his own confefTion. He himfelf had con-
fefled that they fat in Mofes's chair. Now he might
have fhewn fome honour to Mofes's chair, and to their
office, which was of God, and doubtlefs good, and
not have gone about to make them thus odious in
the eyes of the people. Nay, he himfelf had bid men
do as they faid, but in ver. 3. of that chapter. Now
. was it likely that ever men fhould mind what they faid,
or obferve their do6trine, when he had thus reprefented
them " as oppreflbrs of the confcience," ver. 4. as de-
*^ vourers of widows houfes, and making long prayers
*' in hypocrify," ver. 15, as " making their profelytes
" more the children of hell than themfelves," ver. 15.
as " neglefters of the weightier matters of the law,
" judgment, mercy, and faith," ver. 23. as " appear-
" ing righteous to men, but full of hypocrify and ini-
" quity," ver. 28. as " of the fame generation that
" killed the prophets," ver. 31, 32. as " deceivers i'*
as " fuch as led into the ditch; and bid men beware of
" their leaven ;" were not thefe good kind of encou-
ragements for people to hear them ? Yea, he charged
them with " fhutting up the kingdom of heaven
" againft men, and not going in themfelves, nor fufFer-
" ing men to enter that were going in," ver. 13. How
could they obferve what tliey taught without hearing
them ? And would Chrift wifh any to hear fuch men as
thefe ? Yet for all this, without doubt, they were not
without their juftifications againft Chrift in thefe re-
TJ 2 Ipedtsj
23S The jew OUTWARD.
fpe<^s ; and alfo had their charges, on the other hand,
ready againft him. Now how did they fhut up the
kingdom of heaven againft men? Did they not teach
the law, and dire6l men to the ordinances of God, and
open the prophets Vv'ords to them? Was this ihutting
up the kingdom of heaven ? and would not they fuf-
fer men to enter ? Why, their work was to win people
to their profeflionj they would compafs fea and land to
make a profelyte. How ftifly might the Jews have
pleaded againft Chrift, that he did flander their godly
minifters, who were very painful and zealous in open-
ing the fcriptures, and teaching the way of God? Nay,
he himfelf could not deny but they taught well ; for
he himfelf faith, " Whatfoever they bid you obferve,
*' that obferve, and do," Mat. xxiii. 3. But mark
now, that ye may underftand the thing. It is thus :
any teaching or expounding the fcriptures out of the
life fliuts up the kingdom : for the life is the king-
dom, and words from the life yield the favour of the
kingdom; but words out of it, though ever fo good
and true, reach not to the life in another; but only
build up a knowledge in the contrary wifdom, and
teach to hold the truth in the unrighteoufnefs, where
Satan's kingdom ftands, and where he hath the domi-
nion over all that is brought thither. And fo this kind
of teaching and knowledge ftiuts up the door and way
of life, and muft be loft, before the kingdom can be
found.
They fhut up the true kingdom; but they opened
another kingdom; they opened the kingdom another
way (which was in truth Ihutting of it); and they had
difciples and children of the kingdom, whom they
tickled with the hope of life, and fed with promifes
and comforts; but thefe the Lord would fhut out.
*' Many fhall come from the eaft and weft, and fhall
" fit down with Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob, in
*' the kingdom of heaven ; but the children of the
*' kingdom fliall be caft out into utter darknefs,"
Mat. viii. 11, 12. This is true at this day in the pre-
fent dilpenfation, as it was then in that difpenfation;
thongli
The jew OUTWARD. 2^9
though men make it a great accufation againft us,
charging us that we fay none are the people of God
but ourfelves, and as if all were damned but we. Thefe
are mens harfh and unfavoury expreiTions j we ufe not
to fpeak after this manner, but foberly open the ftate
of the thing as it (lands in the truth (and as it hath
been revealed unto us by him who is true, and cannot
lie) ; which is thus :
That through which men are faved, is the difpenfa-
tion of Truth in their age. The meafure of light
which God gives forth in every age, that is the means
and proper way of falvation in that age : and where-
ever men get, or profefs of the knowledge of Truth
declared in former ages, yet making ufe of that to
withfland the prefent difpenfation of Truth in their
age, they cannot thereby be faved ; but may thereby
be hardened againft that which fliould fave them.
And this we are aflured of from the Lord, that as the
Jews could not be faved by the law of Mofes (making
ufe of it in oppofition to the fliining of the light of
God in the prophets in their feveral ages) nor after-
wards could be faved by magnifying and obferving both
the words of Mofes and the prophets, and their belief
from thence of a MelTiah to come (making ufe of thofe
things to oppofe that appearance of Ch rift in theflefli,
which was the difpenfation of their day then) ; no more
can any profeflbrs be faved now by the belief of a
Chrift come, or any thing which they can learn or
praftife from the fcriptures, making ufe thereof to
oppofe the difpenfation of this day; which difpenfa-
tion is the immediate and powerful breaking-forth of
the light of the Spirit in the hearts of God's people
(who have earneftly fought, and in much forrow and
perplexity of fpirit longed and waited for him), after
this long dark night of the afttichriftian apoftafy.
There remain yetfome other exceptions againft him,
about the time of his fufFering death, with his hard
ufage, which ftiould not wholly be paffed over. As,
I. His difrefpeftful or irreverent anfwering of the
high-prieft, as it feemed to them, when he afked him
U 3 of
240 The JEW OUTWARD.
of his do6lrine, John xvlii. 19. his anfwer was, that
" he fpake openly in the world, not in fecret ; Why
" afkefl thou me? Afk them that heard me.'* Where-
upon one of the officers ftruck him, faying, " Anfwereft
" thou the high-priefl fo ?" ver. 22. The plainnefs
and fimplicity of the life (which bows to God, and
cannot regard man in the tranfgrefiion) fcems rude and
unmannerly to the lofty fpirit of the world.
2. His filence at the teflimonies brought againfl: him,
and to the high-priefb when he queftioned him, Mark
xiv. 60, 61. Indeed either the fpeaking or filence in the
life, is offenfive to the carnal profelTor, who know-
eth not the law of the life in this particulars but can
either fpeak or be filent, according to his own will.
This is the difference between the true and the falfe
Chriftianj the falfe Chriftian's knowledge and religion
fland in his own will, in his own underftanding-, he
fpeaks in his own time; both which are crucified in
him that is born of the Spirit.
3. When he did fpeak the truth himfelf, the high-
priell rent bis clothes j and charged him with blafphemy.
Mat. xxvi. 64. And thofe that were by fell in with
the high-pried, and faid, he was '* guilty of death,"
ver. 66. Then they " Ipit on his face, and buffeted
" him, and fmote him, and mocked him, and blind-
" folded him, and ftruck him on the face, bidding
" him prophefy who fmote him," Mat. xxvi. 6"/, 68.
and Luke xxii. 6^, 64.
When they brought him to Pilate, they would have
Pilate take it for granted that he was an evil-doer, and
worthy of death : for when Pilate afked for their ac-
cufation againft him, they anfwer, " If he were not a
*^ malefactor, we v/ould not have delivered him up
*^ unto thee," John xviii. 29, 30. Pilate refufing fo
to proceed in judgment, ver. 31, they begin to bring
in their charges : ** We found this fellow perverting
<* the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caefar,
*' faying, that he himfelf is Chrifl, a king," Luke
xxiii. 2. Pilate examines him herein; but profefles he
can find no fault in him at all, John xviii. 38. Then
the
The jew OUTWARD. 241
the chief priefts accufed him of many other things^
Mark xv. 3. and were more fierce, faying, " He
*' ftirreth up the people, teaching throughout all
*' Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place." (This
indeed was his great offence, he taught with the autho-
rity of the Spirit, and not as the Scribes). Then Pilate
fent him to Herod (where the chief priefts and fcribes
ftood vehemently accufing him), who queftioned him
much; but he anfwered him nothing. And " Herod,
" with his men of war, fet him at nought, and mocked
*^ him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and fent
" him back to Pilate," Luke xxiii. 9, 10, 11. Pilate
profefTed that he could not find him guilty of this fe-
cond charge, neither of perverting the people, ver. 14.
therefore, chaftifing him, he would releafe him, ver. 18.
but the people, by the perfuafion of the chief priefts
and elders, cried all at once, " Away with this man,
" and releafe unto us Barabbas," ver. 18. but let him
be crucified; " Crucify him, crucify him!" ver. 2r,
&c. Now when Pilate had fcourged him, and the
foldiers had ftripped him, and put him on a fcarlet
robe, and had put a crown of platted thorns on his
head, and a reed in his right-hand, and had bowed
the knee to him in mockery, and fpit on him, and
fmote him with a reed, he brings him forth to them
again, hoping this might appeafe their malice, and
they might be content to fpare his being crucified.
They tell him they have a law, and by their law he
ought to die, becaufe he made himfelf the Son of God,
John xix. 4. 8. (See how they turn and wind every
way to make the innocent an offender, and to make
fome law, of one kind or other, take hold of him!)
But when all their accufations would not prevail with
Pilate, but ftill (from the fenfe of his innocency) he
had a mind to releafe him, they ufed another fubtil
artifice, telling him, ^^ If he let this man go, he was
" not Cxfar's friend," John xix. 12, This carries it
with Pilate: now he difputes no farther j but delivers
him tQ their will, Luke xxiii. 5.
U 4 Now
j^4a The JEW OUTWARD.
Now thou who readeft this, take heed of judging the
Jews for all this wickednefs, while the fame nature is
alive in thee which did all this in thenn : for affuredly
thou (in whom that nature which did it in them is not
fubdued) wouldft have done the fame thing, hadft
thou lived in thofe days. Thou that difdainefl and
perfecuteft the appearance of Chrift in this age, wouldft
have difdaincd and have perfecuted his appearance in
that age. Do not deceive thy foul.
The Jews did as little think that ever they fhould
h^ve put a prophet, or any good man, to death (much
lefs the MeHlah) as thou canft : yea, they could blame
their fathers for killing the prophets, and fay, If they
had lived in thofe days, they would not have done it ;
and yet doft not thou read what they did ? The perfe-
cuting fpiric was ever blind, and could in no age
read its evil and bitter nature, and its enmity againft
the life and power. Be not thou blind in thy day, as
they were in theirs i and an enemy, under pretence of
being a friend.
4. Another exception or argument againft him,
about the time of his fuffering death, was, that he did
not put forth his power to fave bimfelf from the crofs:
'^ He faved others, let him fave himfelf," if he be
Chrift, the chofen of God, Lukexxiii. 35. Is it likely
that this is the Son of God, and that he did fo many
miracles by the power of God, and cannot now fave
himfelf from the crofs ? This his fuffering death on the
crofs did a little ftumble fome of the difciples, as may
appear, Luke xxiv. 20, 21. and was enough to have
overturned the faith of any which ftood not in the
Spirit, and in the power. The foldieis alfo could
mock, and manage this argument againft him, faying,
«« If thou be the king of the Jews, fave thyfelf,"
Luke xxiii. 37. And they that paffed by reviled him,
wagging their heads, and faying, '< Thou that deftroy^
^* eft the temple, and buildeft it in three days, fave
*^ thyfelf. If thou be the Son of God, come down
** from the crofs," Mat. xxvii. 39,40. Likewife the
chief priefts, with the fcribes and elders, mocked
amono;
The jew outward. 243
among themfelves, faying, " He faved others, him-
" fclf he cannot fave. Let Chrift, the king of Ifrael,
*' defcend now from the crofs, that we may fee, and
*' believe," Mark xv. 31, 32. One of the thieves
alfo railed on him, faying, '' If thou be the Chrift,
*<" fave thyfelf and us," Luke xxiii. 39. And when he
cried out to his God, " Eli, Eli, &c." they derided
him: " This man calleth for Elias; let us fee
*' whether Elias will come and fave him," Mat. xxvii.
47. 49. And after he was dead, the chief priefts and
Pharifees fpake of him as of a known deceiver, ver. 62-
and feem, in a pious zeal for the church, to take care
that there be no further occafion, after his death, for
the reviving and fpreading of his deceit and errors,
ver. 64. Thus the Holy One, the Pure One, the Juft
and True One, (in whofe heart and mouth was no guile
found) was numbered among tranfgrefTors, accounted
a deceiver, and put to death as a blafphemer, by the
zealous priefts and profelfors of that age, who were
fo confident of the righteoufnefs of their caufe (on the
behalf of the law of Mofes, and their fabbaths, tem-
ple, &c.) againft him, that when Pilate waftied his
hands, as clear of his blood, all the people anfwered,
and faid, " His blood be on us, and on our children,"
Mat. xxvii. 25,
Now let men confider what the great exceptions are,
which they have againft the living appearance of Chrift
in his Spirit (now tov/ards the clofe of the apoftafy)
and againft us his witnefles, whom the Lord hath call-
ed forth to teftify his name. Many exceptions men
have againft our perfons, our dodlrine, our pradices,
for want of miracles, &c. Is this generation more
wife or more juft in their exceptions than the former
was ? Confider the main ones a little.
Their great Exceptions againft our Doctrine arcj
I. That we preach up a light within ^ and that he that
receiveth that lights receiveth a perfeEi gift j a7td growing
nf in itj gr(tmieth up to perfc^ion, whi^b in this life
(through
244 The JEW OUTWARD.
(through faith and obedience to this light or perfeB gift)
may be attained, and the body of fin put off, and the new
man Chriji put on.
Anf. Indeed we cannot but preach up the light
within, and declare unto men how great things it hath
done for us ; even that which we could never by any
means meet with from any light without. And this is
perfeft, and tends to make perfe6t, carrying on its work
daily. Now he that feels its virtue, cannot doubt of
its power. He that feeth the body of fin daily going
off, cannot doubt but he may be ftripped. Indeed,
if a man ftrive againft fin in his own will, and by his
own gathered knowledge, he cannot get much ground,
and fo it is hard for him to believe perfe6lion. But he
that feels unity with that which is perfefb, cannot but
acknowledge that it is able to perfe6l him, and in faith
and patience is encouraged to hope and wait for it,
2. 'That we deny that Chriji which died at Jerufaleniy
and his imputed righteoufnefs^ and fet up an inherent
right eoufnefs.
Anf. We know no other Chrift than that which died
at Jerufalem, only we confefs our chief knowledge of
him is in Spirit. And as Chrift faid in the days of his
flefh, that the way to know his Father, was to know
him-, and he that knew him knew the Father allbj fo
we now witnefs, that the way to know Chrift is to
know the Spirit ; and that he that knoweth the Spirit,
knoweth Chrift alfoj with whom Chrift is one, and
from whom he cannot be feparated. And as for im-
puted righteoufnefs, it is too precious a thing to us,
to be denied by us. That which we deny, is mens
putting of it out of its place, applying it to them
who are not in the true faith, and walk not in the
true light : for in the true light (where the fellowftiip
is with the Father and the Son) there alone the blood
cleanfeth, i John i. 7. And there alone the righteouf-
nefs is imputed to him, who is cleanfed«by the blood
in the light, and not to him who knows it not. And
as for inherent righteoufnefs, we meddle not with that
word, but this we fayj That our life exceedingly lies
in
The jew OUTWARD. 245
in feeling the righteoufnefs of Chrift wrought and re-
vealed in us J and we wifh men could come out of
the reafoning about it, into the feeling of the fame
thing with us: for then we are fure they would not fo
fharply, nor fo long contend.
3. That we deny the ordinances, and means of falva^
tion.
Anf. We deny nothing that the apoftles and Chrif-
tians formerly praftifed; nor do we deny any thing
that any now pracftife in the light, and in the faith ;
but the fetting up fuch things in the will, that we
deny; or the imitating thefe without the command of
the Spirit, that we deny alfo. And this we teftify,
that antichrift crept in here, and that they are his great
cover to keep men from the life; and therefore warn
men to mind the life, and to take heed they be not
kept from the fubftance by the fhadows, where an-
tichrift lies lurking, to bewitch from the fubftance.
And we are furc that thefe, in antichrift's hands, arc
not the means of falvation ; but keep from the fight
of the holy city, where the life and falvation is. And
we read that the outward court was given to the Gen.
tilesj who '^ trod under foot the holy city," Rev. xi. 2.
And we have found by experience, that while we our-
felves were crying up the outward court, we did tram-
ple under foot the city, though we then knew it not.
Their exceptions againft ourperfons are, that we are
ignorant, illiterate, and alfo unfettled perfons (who
have ftill been feeking up and down, &c.)
Anf. What perfons are fitteft for God to make ufe
of, towards the recovery of his people out of the
apoftafy ? Doth not God chufe that which is weak,
and mean, and contemptible, that his glory might the
more appear ? Is not this a more likely way for him to
fteal upon the world, than if he appeared in the wife
and learned ones? And among whom is his appearance
to be expefted ? Among thofe who are fettled upon
their lees in the apoftafy ? or among thofe who have
mourned, panted, and fought to come out of it, and
fould not be fettled without his appearing to them,
and
i46 The JEW OUTWARD.
and fixing their feet upon the rock. But have we been
unfettled, fince God hath faftened us on the living
foundation? Nay : here is no more going out; but he
that abides faithful, remains a pillar in the houfe of
God.
Men except likevvife againft our praftices, as that
we fliew not refpecl to perlbns, and that we are not
ftri6l (after their manner) in duties, &c.
AnJ. We have heard that voice, " Fear God, and
<* give glory to him," Rev. xiv. 7. (not only as it is
written there, but in Spirit) : and where the Lord is
ex:alted, the glory of the creature falls ; read Ifa. ii.
how all falls in that day, that God alone might be ex-
alted. And we cannot, in this mighty day of the
Lord, any longer give to man that honour which he
gathered in the fall, and which pleafeth the fallen
nature, and not that which is born of God. And for
duties, we have bewailed, in the fight of the Lord, our
former running into duties without his Spirit : and we
muft: confefs, we can only pray in the Spirit ; fing in
the Spirit; wait in the Spirit; fpeak in the Spirit (as
that gives utterance), and not of ourfelves, or when
we will ; but as we fee life, ftrength, and power
from on high, leading and afTifting us. And our reli-
gion confills neither in willing nor running, but in
waiting on the Spirit and power of the Lord, to work
all in us and for us. All thefe things we look upon to
be our duty, and praftife them.
It is likewife excepted againft us, that we do not
work miracles.
Anf, We point to that which wrought all the out-
ward miracles formerly, and which now worketh great
inward miracles in Spirit; and we are fure the fame
power, which we have received the Gofpel in, is of
the fame healing virtue. But that power worketh ac-
cording to the purpofe of its own will, and not
according to the will of man (yea, though Paul had
the gift of healing, yet " he left Trophimus at Mile-
*' turn fick," 2 Tim. iv. 20) ; neither was the will or
wifdom of man fatisfied in all thofe miracles which
Chrift
The jew OUTWARD. 247
Chrlft and the apoftles wrought. It is enough for us
to feel and live in the moving of the power ; in which
we rejoice, and are more fatisfied (that by it our
names are written in the Book of Life) than we could
by any fuch outward and vifible appearance and manifef-
tation of it. But if we did work outward miracles,
yet if thou hadft not an inward eye to fee them with,
thou wouldil not be able to diilinguifh by what power
they were wrought.
To what purpofe fhould I mention any more parti-
culars ? Is it not enough ? Oh! fear before the Lord !
and do not lofe the prefent difpenfation of life through
miftake (or becaufe ye cannot have things fuited to
your corrupt wills) •, but know the Gofpei, which is
an inward difpenfation, and doth not confift in out-
ward Ihadows, but in inward virtue, life, and power :
" For the kingdom of God is righteoufnefs, and peace,
*' and joy in the Holy Spirit." Come to wait for that,
to feel that, to unite there j and then we fhall not differ
about that which is outward. But it is antichrift's way,
by the magiftrates power, to force an agreement about
the outward, which deftroys that tendernefs of con-
fcience which preferves the inward.
And now let me put one queftion to you ; Where is
the deceit of the ages after Chrift to be expeded ? Did
the Jews deny Mofes and the prophets writings, or or-
dinances ? Nay, were they not very zealous for thefe ?
And were not thefe their cover, under which they per-
fecuted Chrift, and; vented all their malice againft him ?
So can it be expected now, that the deceivers of this
age fhould deny the apoftles writings, or the practices
therein mentioned j Or is it not rather to be expected,
that under their crying up of thefe, they ftiould hide
their enmity againft the life ? Search and fee, hath not
^very after-age of profeftbrs took up the words and
pradices of them who were perfecuted in the forego-
ing age; and under the profeflion of thofe words
and pradices, have hid their fpirit of perfecution ?
There is a remnant only among profelfors to be faved;
the generality 0^ them have ftill been perfecutors,
creeping
248 The JEW OUTWARD.
creeping into the form, getting that for a cover upon
their backs, and then fighting againft the life and
power. Oh! wait on the Lord in his fear, that ye
may be found worthy to know the perfecuted truth on
the one hand, and the perfecuting fpirit on the other
hand, in this day of large profeflion, and alfo of bit-
ter perfecution !
Now what might be the caufe, or how could it come
to pafs, that the zealous worfhippers of that age fhould
thus err in their zeal, and be thus heady and rafh
againft him, whom they looked for to be their Saviour?
How came they thus to err in 'vifion^ and Jliimbk in
judgment^ in fo weighty a matter ? Shew unto us the
caufe, that we may fee whether the fame caufe be not
in us : for undoubtedly if it be, it will produce the
fame effeft, and fo we may ignorantly draw upon our
heads the fame heavy wrath in our day, that they did
in their day.
AnJ. The caufes were very many ; I may mention
fome few of the principal ones ; which if they be fcen
into and removed (by that power which is able to do
it) fuch as are of a more inferior influence, will not be
able to ftand.
1. One caufe of their blind zeal, and bitternefs
againft Chrift, was. Their ignorance of the Jcriptures^
and of the •power of God. If they had known the fcrip-
tures in the true light, they could not but have known
Chrift, from whom the fcriptures were given forth ;
and if they had known the power of God, they could
not but have known him who came in the power ; yea,
who was the power. They had knowledge enough of
both thefe one way ; that is, in the letter : they knew
the words of fcripture (they could make large expofi-
tions of them), they knew what was faid in fcripture
concerning the power of God, but they knew not the
thing itfelf J and fo turned againft it, and made ufe of
the words (which came from it, and teftified of it)
againft it.
2. A fecond caufe of this their fad mifcarriage in
their zeal, was, Their putting the law and ordinances^
and
The jew OUTWARD. 249
and writings of the prophets, out of their proper places.
They exceedingly magnified and cried them up, in
that carnal way wherein they apprehended and prac-
tifed them, but underftood not the right end and ufe of
them. And by thefe means, praftifmg the fhadows in
the carnal mind, they loft the fubftance, which the
proper ufe of the fhadows was to have pointed them
unto.
3. Their high conceits of the goodnefs of their ft ate in
relation to God, and of the certainty of their knowledge of
the truths of God from Mofes and the prophets. They
were confident they knew God aright, and that he was
their Father, and that they were his children and peo-
ple. And fo Chrift appearing in a feeming contrariety
to thefe (notvv'ithftanding all his powerful preaching
and miracles) they made no queftion but they might
boldly conclude him not to be of God.
4. Chrift' s coming in a way that they looked not for him.
They had concluded from the fcriptures how Chrift
muft appear ; and he coming in a far different manner,
they could not own him, but looked upon him as a
deceiver, one that pretended to be Chrift, but was not
like to what the fcripture laid of Chrift. So what the
fcripture faith of Chrift's fecond coming, is hid as
much from the carnal eye of profeffors iji this age, as
what was faid concerning his firft coming, was hid
from them in their age; and he will fteal upon them as
a thief, at a time, and in a way, and after a manner
that they expedt not.
5. (VVhich is the main one, and the caufe of all the
former) Becaufe they were from the light within, from
the true light in their own hearts and confciences. The
light within is the great ordinance of God, and the
proper means to give the knowledge of him (2 Cor.
iv. 6.) ; without which it was never received under
any difpenfation: for the light that fhines abroad, or
from without, can alone be known and received by
the light that fhines within. Chrift himfelf opens this
in a parable J « The light of the body" (faith he) " is
" the eye ^ if therefore thine eye be fingle" (clear,
without
iS<!> The jew OUTWARD.
without beams or motes) " thy whole body (hall be
«* full of light," Mat. vi. 22. But if that be evil, if
that be dark, if that be doled by the god of this world,
all Mofes's words, all the prophets words, yea, all
Chrift's and his apoftles words, cannot give thee light.
Can I fee the light of the fun, moon, or ftars, or of
any fire or candle, if I have not a natural eye, and if
that natural eye be not open ? So neither can I fee the
light of any difpenfation of life, if I have not an eye
within me open, wherewith to fee it. So that that which
gives me the fight of the things of God, is the eye
which God hath given me. By that may be read the
eternal pov^er and Godhead in the creatures, in the
books of Mofes and the prophets, in the writings of
the evangelifts and the apoftles, as the Spirit leads and
opens. Yea, the fame Spirit, that opened to thefe
without books, may again open to any of us without
books at his pleafure (and will not be limited to books) ;
and we then may read alfo as they did, even within in
the Spirit, and in the immediate life ; but without this,
can none of thefe things of God be read aright. Now
the god of this world had blinded this eye. in the
Jews; yea, they themfelves had " ftoppcd their ears,
*' and clofed their eyes," &c. they would not fee this
way, they would not be converted and healed this way.
They would keep up the knowledge which they had
gathered from Mofes and the prophets, without this
eye; and with that they would fee, or not at all.
Thus being from the light within, they could not
fee the place of life within,, where life is to be received:
they could not fee the womb of wifdom, which is
within, and fo could not enter into it, and be born
again. And being not born of the wifdom, how could
they j,uftify the wifdom ? Being not born of the light,
how could they know or own Chrift, whofe coming
and appearance was in the light ? For that appearance
of Chnft the life, in that body of fleiii, could not be
difcerned by all mens wifdom in the letter (the dif-
ciples themfelves came not fo to know it) j but "my
** Father which is in heaven hath oevealed it to you."
And
The JEAV OUTWARD. 251
And mark it: the difciples who were illiterate, and not
lb knowing of the fcriptures that were written of Chrift,
yet they knew Chrift: but the Scribes and Pharifees,
who were very fkilful in the letter, could not know
him. What was the reafon ? The reafon lay in the
difference of the eye, or light, wherewith they looked:
the one looked with an outward eye, the other with an
inward eye. And a little inward light will do thatj
which a great deal of outward light will not do. And
this I can certainly affirm, that all the light that men
can gather from the fcriptures, cannot give them the
knowledge of Chrift as he hath appeared in this age;
nay, nor as he hath appeared in any age, fince the days
of the apoftles: but a little true inward light will give
the knowledge of this thing, and open thofe fcriptures
infallibly (in its fealbn) which all the generations of
wife and learned men have been controverting and dif-
puting about, in that wifdom and fearching fpiric
which is never to underftand them. This then is the
main and full reafon of this deep error of the Jews,
and their defperate fplitting upon the rock, which would
have faved them. T'hey were begotten of the letter ^ which
was given forth in former ages ; but not of the life^ which
was raifed uf in their ag^: and fo they knew not how
to turn to the light within, which alone was able to
give them the true and certain knowledge of the things
of God.
Now confider thefe things well, O ye profeflbrs of
this age! and take heed that ye do not fall after the
fame example of unbelief. " Be not high-minded,
'' but fear." Be not fo confident of what you have
gathered by your wifdom for truth from the fcriptures
(after the manner that they were, of what they had
gathered by their wifdom) -, but fear, left ye fliould be
miftaken as they were : and wait for the opening of
that eye in you, which was fhut in them j even the
true eye, in the true light, by the holy anointing;
where there never was nor can be any miftake. The
Jews fell by unbelief. Unbelief of what ? They be-
lieved the fcriptures, they believed according to that
Vol. I. X know-
252 The JEW OUTWARD.
knowledge they had gathered from the fcriptures : but
they did not believe in the living word. They had a
knowledge abiding in them, which they had gathered
from the fcriptures, but they had not the living word
abiding in them; and fo their faith was but unbelief
(for the living faith ftands in the belief of the living
word in the heart, which the fcriptures direct to ;
without the knowledge of which, all knowledge of
words is vain -, and without faith in which, all faith is
vain alfo). Now faith the apoftle to the Gentile-
Chriflian, *' Thou ftandeft by faith," Rom. xi. 20.
By what faith ? By faith in that word in the heart,
which they negledled and turned from, Rom. x. 8.
For Mofes had taught them, after the laws and ordi-
nances about worfhip and facrifices, that the word
that they were to obey and do (the word that could
give them life, and make them obedient to all the
commandments without) was in their heart and mouth,
Deut. XXX. 14. And fo the prophet Micah, when they
propofed facrifices and oil, to pleafe God with, brings
them to this which was given to them in common
with mankind, Mich. vi. 8. For all ordinances and
laws, and obfervations, and pradlices without, are but
to bring to the life within, which is to be found
again there, v/here it was loft, and ftill lies (lain and
hid (even in the field or houfe where it was loft). And
he that feeks abroad, never finds it; but when the
candle is lighted in his own houfe, and he fearches
narrowly in the field, in his ov/n heart, and the eternal
eye begins to open in him; then he cries out, God was
in this place, and I was not aware of it. Ah ! how
the enemy bewitched me, to run from mountain to
mountain 1 and from hill to hill ! and hath hereby co-
vered my eye from beholding the mountain of the
Tord's houfe, and from feeling the fpring of my life,
which I further and further ran from, all the while I
was feeking abroad. Therefore, O ye profefTors, be
not fo conceited like the Jews, and running after them
into their defolation and mifery, but learn wifdom by
their fall 1 Do not you fet up your ordinances and
fcriptures.
The jew OUTWARD. -53
fcriptures, after the manner that they fet up theirs ;
for this is your danger: for this I cJearJy, in the light
of the Lord, teftify to you ; that if ye gather a know-
ledge and wifdoni from the letter of the fcriptures,
after the manner that they did, without knowledge of
the word within, and without a light within from that
word, ye lofe the living faith, ye are but dead bran-
ches; and all your knowledge of fcriptures, and
praclices, and faith, and duties, &c. that ye here
hold and obferve, are but for "the fire ; and the flames
of eternal wrath fliali kindle more fiercely upon you
becaufe of them, than upon the Jewsj for ye flumble
upon the fame ftumbling-ilone at which they flumbled
and fell, and it will fall upon you alfo. And as you
have more fcriptures than they had, and the experience
of their fall to warn you ; fo your deflruflion will be
exceeding dreadful " if you negled; fo great falvationj"
whereof at this day there are fo many living and pow-
erful witneffes, as they are known and owned to be in
the light of the Lord, though defpifed in your exalted
and conceited wifdom.
Now to help any honeft and fingle hearts among you
over this great ftumbling-block of alight within, con-
fider thefe few things.
1. That all the knowledge, all the true knowledge,
that ever ye had of God, was from a light within.
I do not deny that ye might receive your knowledge
through the fcriptures (and fome warmth formerly in
.thofe things v/hich ye call ordinances and duties) ; but
that whereby ye received the knowledge was the light
within J the eye that God fecretly opened in your
fpirits. This was the way ye then came by it, though
ye perhaps might feel the thing, but not know how
ye came by it : even as a babe may fee truly, but doth
not underRand its own eye, or know how it fees.
2. While this eye v/as kept open in you, your know-
ledge was true in its meafure, and fcrviceable to you,
and did draw you nearer to God, making you truly
tender, meek, fweet, humble, patient, loving, gentle,
and of precious breathings towards God, and after
X 2 righteouf-
254 The JEW OUTWARt).
righteoufnefs. Oh ! how lovely were you to God in
this Hate ! " When Ifrael was a child, 1 loved him."
God remembcreth at this day the kindnefs of your
youth, and is feeking after you. Oh ! why do ye fo
harden your hearts againft him ?
3. That where-ever this eye is fhut, the virtue of
the true knowledge is loft, and the fweet fruits thereof
wither. The outward part of the knowledge may be
retained} yea, perhaps much increafed, but the life is
gone, and the pure fweet favourinefs (to God) vaniihed.
And if this eye were but a little opened again in you,
your death and unfavourinefs might be foon feen and
felt in you, in all your knowledge, duties, ordinances;
yea, in your very graces and experiences. You have a
faith ftill J yea, but it wants the favour of your former
faith : ye have fbme kind of love, gentlenefs, and
meeknefs ; yea, but it is only a thing formed by the
flefhly wifdom and reafoning, but not natural from the
living fpring, not fuch as ye once felt, &c. for the
true and living eye being fbut, that which is then bell
(or afterwards attained) is held but in the dead part,
and ferves but to feed death.
4. The great work and defign of the enemy of your
fouls, is not to fteal away the bulk of your knowledge,
or to draw you from ordinances or duties; but to fteal
the life out of your fpirits. This 1 have experimented
from my childhood : I might ftill have knowledge
enough of any kind ; but that which I wanted was
life; and I was ftill fick under all the forts of know-
ledge that ever I met with, and under all ordinances and
duties, for want of life. The Lord had given my foul
a tafte of true life, whereby I became unfatisfied with-
out it, and no manner of knowledge or enjoyment
could take me up by the way : yea, when through
extremity I feemed willing to be content with any thing;
yet ftill my heart was fick after that one thing, which
alone could truly eafe and fatisfy it. Now if the enemy
can prevail herein, to blind the inward eye, and fteal
away the life within, he hath enough. Then abound
as much as thou wilt in knowledge, in zeal, in duties,
in
The jew OUTWARD. 255
in ordinances, in reading fcriptures, praying, medita-
ting, &c. thou art the furer his hereby, and fo much
the better fervant to him : for how much the richer
thou art in knowledge, experiences, hopes, and
afllirance, without the life of power; fo much the
more acceptable, and honourable, and ufeful, art thou
in his kingdom.
Therefore fee where ye are. Is the inward eye open
in you? Do ye know the light within? (Surely he that
fees by a light within, can hardly fpeak evil of it !)
Or hath the enemy, by fome of his artifices, drawn a
veil over that eye, wherewith once ye faw in fome
meafure ? Oh! be not flight in a matter of fo great
weight! Oh! pleafe not yourfelves with the eye of the
perifhing wifdom, with death's eye, and with death's
knowledge of fcriptures and of the Son of God; which
fpeaks great words of the fame of true wifdom, but
is a ftranger and enemy to the thing ! Oh ! life is pre-
cious! eternal life is precious! To have the word of
God abiding in the heart, and to feel the true light
give the true life, who can fet a value on this! Ah!
do not lofe your fouls for a trifle; for a little fuch
knowledge of the fcriptures as the earthly part can
gather! This I cannot but exceedingly defpife, although
the fcriptures I truly honour, for their tefliimony of that
whereby I live. If ye fee not the way of life by the
inward light, which alone can fhew it, ye lofe your
fouls. If the god of the world hath blinded that eye
in you, what are all your treafures of wifdom and know-
ledge? What are all your hopes? And what will be-
come of you? All thefe fparks of your own kindling
from fcriptures will not fecure you from the bed of
forrow. O ye feveral forts of profeflfors, why will ye
die with the uncircumcifed ? Why will ye go down
into the pit, among them that knov/ not the Lord?
But what fliall I fay to this generation? The fpiritu-
ally-wife forefeeth the ftorm, and hideth himfelf ; but
the fpiritually-foolilh run on headily, and are puniflied.
The clouds have long been gathering; but the fick eye
cannot difcern the figns of the times and feafons j and
X3 To
iSd The J E W O U T W A R D.
fobecaufe judgment comes not as men expefted', they
grow hard, and wear off the {'enfe wherewith they were
iomewhat affedled at the firft threatening of it : but
afluredly both judgment and mercy haften, and they
will come, and will not tarry.
For the fame Lord God Almighty, which confounded .
the Heathens Babel, (when their fins and vain confidence
were ripe) which they built to prevent any future
flood (for though they once had the true knowledge
of God from an inward light, Rom. i. 21. yet they
foon left that, '^ not liking to retain God in their
" knowledge." ver. 28. but running out into imagina-
tions, and fo building a Babel, whereby their foolifh
hearts became darkened to the light which God had
made to fhine in them ; which fliewed what might be
known of God unto them, ver, 19.); yea, the Lord
God which overthrew the Jews Babel, which they had
built from their knowledge of the laws and ordinances
of Mofes, and the fcriptures written to them (they
running out into imaginations alfo) ; whereby they
likewife thought to prevent " the overflowing fcourge"
from coming near them, Ifa. xxviii. 15.J the fiime
God will overthrow the Chriftians Babel, which they
have built from the prophets and apoftles words (by
their own imaginations and conceivings in the high-
mindednefs, out of the fear), whereby they think to
efcape the deluge of eternal wrath. (For their city alfo
fhall be " thrown down with violence, and iliall be
" found no more at all," Rev. xviii. 21.) And the
great work of this day is to difcover the rottennefs of
their wall, and the untemperednefs of the mortar
wherewith they had daubed it. He that readeth, let
him underftand j but the uncircumcifed in heart and
cars cannot.
THE
THE
AXE LAID TO THE ROOT
OF THE
OLD CORRUPT TREE;
AND THE
Spirit of Deceit ftruck at in its Nature.
FROM WHENCE
All the Error from the Life, among both Papists
and Protestants, hath arilen, and by which it is
nouriihed and fed at this Day.
I N a
Distinction between the FAITH which is of MAN,
and the FA I T H which is of G O D.
In fome Assertions concerning TRUE FAITH; its
Nature, Rise, &c. its receiving of CHRIST, and its
abiding and growing in his living Virtue.
A Warning concerning Adding to and Diminifliing from the
Scripture in general, and the Prophecies of the Revelations
in particular. Difcovering what it is, and the great Danger of
it; with the only Way of Prefervation from it. Whereto is
added, A fliort Touch about the Use of Means.
AS ALSO
A Brief History concerning the State of the Church llnce
the Days of the Apostles.
With an EXHORTATION to the PRESENT AGE,
Ey the Movings of the Life, in a Friend to the Living Truth of the
Moft High God; but an utter Enemy to the Spirit of Error and
Blafphemy, where-ever it is found, as well in the llridelt of the
Pfotellants, as among the grofleft of the Papills,
ISAAC PENINGTON the Younger,
[ '^S9 3
THE
PREFACE.
THERE was a glorious day, and bright appearance
of Truth in the times of the apoflles. They had
the true Comforter, who led them into all Truth, and
kept them alive in Truth, and Truth alive in them.
By this Spirit, they, as living ftones, were built up a
fpiritual houfe, founded upon Sion, the holy mount;
into Jerufalem, the holy city, which is the church of
the living God, the pillar and ground of Truth. And
here they had their converfation in heaven, v,'ith God,
the judge of allj with Chrift, the Mediator j and with
the fpirits of juft men and the holy angels, which al-
ways behold the face of God. They lived in the Spirit,
they walked in the Spirit, they prayed in the Spirit,
they fung in the Spirit, they worfhipped in the Spirit,
and in that underftanding which the Truth had made
free, and had God dwelling in them, and Chrift walk-
ing in the midft of them j and, by the prefence and
power of his life in them, were truly dead unto fin,
and alive unto God; they being not firivers againft fin
with man's legal fpirit, but by the power of grace,
which made them more than conquerors through him
that loved them. This was part of the glory of that
flate, in the day of the funlhine of the gofpel.
But, behold! a thick night of darknefs overfpread
the beauty of this ! Sorne falfe brethren went out
from the true church into the world, getting the fhecp's
clothing, making a great outward appearance, and
drew the world after them i yea, and fome from the
very churches themfelves. (How hard was the apoftle
Paul obliged to plead with the Corinthians about his
pwn apoftlefhip and dodrine^ that he might preferve
that
c6o PREFACE.
that church from the falfe apoftles!) And when they
had gathered a lufficient party, in the world, they made
head againft the true fheep and lambs of Chriftj fought
•with them, and overcame them. And when they had
overcome them that had the living teftimony of Jefus,
and the true power and prefence of the Spirit among
them, then they fet up their own dead form, making
a cry all over the nations of the earth : " Revelation is
ceafedl there is no looking now for fuch an infalli-
ble Spirit, and fuch immediate teachings as the Chrif-
tians had in the apoftles days, who had the anointing
to teach them all things j" but they pointed men to tra-
ditions, to the church, as they called it (which title
the whore hath ingrofled fince the days of the apoftles),
or to fearchings of the fcripture, and reading expoii-
tions upon it, and bodies of divinity, formed by the
underftanding-part in man to inftrudl the underftanding-
part. Thus the whole courfe of religion, and of the
knowledge of God, came to be out of that Spirit and
life wherein it firft came forth (and wherein it firft
ftood), and confifted in do61:rines of men, and a form
of worfhip and knowledge which the wifdom of man
had framed, in an imitation of that which formerly
ftood in the life.
And now men being gone from the life, from the
Spirit, and his immediate teachings, into an outward
form of knowledge and worlhip of God in the wrong
nature, antichrift is got up, and the dragon fits in the
temple, appearing there as if he were God, giving
out laws and ordinances of worftiip in public, and
putting men upon duties and exercifes of devotion in
private, -and he is obeyed and bowed down to in the
obfervation of thefe ; but the true living God is not
known, nor his fecret ftill voice (which calls out of
thefe) heard; becaufe of the great noife which the
dragon makes in his temple (for lb it is now, he hav-
ing gained it, though it was once God's), about his
laws and ordinances of worftiip, which he would have
all compelled to, and none fuftered to teftify againft
them that they are his, and not the Lord's.
Yet
PREFACE. 161
Yet it plcafed the Lord, all the night of this dark-
nefs, to raife up Ibme witnefies againil the dragon, and
all his invented fornns of worfhip ; though they were
Itill hunted, perfecuted, knocked down, and their
teftimony cried out againft, as error, herefy, fchifm,
and blafphemy ; and the ways, worfhips, and ordi-
nances of the whore, the beaft, and dragon, ftill cried
up as the truth. Thus the Papifts cried out againft the
Proteftants as hereticks and fchifmacicks, who were
witnefles againft them; and the Proteftants cried out
againft the Non-conformifts, Separatifts, and Brown*
ifts, who were witneftes againft them -, and every fe£l:
cries out moft againft them who are led further from
the apoftafy, and raifed up by the Lord, as witneftes
againft them, againft their fitting down in their form,
and not purfuing the guidance of that Spirit, which
would lead them quite out of the darknefs, and not
have them fit down by the way.
Now the Lord God, in thefe latter days, hath not
only raifed up witnefles againft the whore, the dragon,
the beaft, the falfe prophets, with all their inventions
which they have fet up inftead of the truth ; but hath,
aftayed, and begun to deliver his people out of this
Egyptian darknefs, and to bring them back to the light
of the land of Canaan. And now great enemies have
appeared; the fons of the night exceedingly ftrength-
ening themfelves to keep out the day-light, every one
crying up his own form, and all joining hand in hand
againft the power: yea, and that fpirit which firft
tempted from God, is exceeding bufy to caufe thofe
whom the Spirit of the Lord hath been drawing out of
the land of darknefs, to make a captain to return to
Egypt ; or at leaft to fit down in fome form, or
fome pleafant notion of things by the way, and not to
follow the Lord through all his intricate leadings in
the vaft liowling wilderncfs, till he bring them into
the polfeftion of the true reft. What a work was there
to quench that fpirit which ftirred in the Proteftants
againft Popery, and to fix them in epifcopacy, and in
^he ule of the Common-prayer-book? When that wag
dete(fled.
262 PREFACE.
dete<5led, and turned from, the Prefbytery endeavoured
to take its place, and to bring in its direftory; but
the purfuit of the Lord was fo hot againit that, that it
ftunk prefently, and his mighty hand would not fuffer
it fo much as to arife. Much about the fame time In-
dependency and Anabaptifm appeared, and contended ;
and there was a more fimple and honed thing ftirring
there, thaa in the other : and accordingly the blefiing
of the Lord (which was not to the form, but to the life
which was ftirring within) did appear more among
them. But they fixing there, loft the life and fimplicity
to which the blefTing was, and met with the death and
the curie, which is the proper reward of the form :
for any form, out of the life, kills the life ; and its
reward is death to itfelf. The form kills the life,
which ftirred underneath, and made it appear with
fome frelhnefs; and when the life, from which It had
its feeming beauty and luftre, dies, then it foon withers
and dies alfo : fo that the living principle being once
flain, there remains nothing but the dead fpirit, feeding
on the dead form. There was one more pure appear-
ance, and nearer to the kingdom than all thefe •, which
was of feeking and waiting: but death overcame this
alfo, making a form of it, and ftealing in fome ob-
fervations, from the letter of the fcriptures, concern-
ing the kingdom, whereby their eyes were with-held
from beholding the inward principle and i'eed of life
within, to look for fome great appearance of power
without (fuch as was among the apoftles), to i^ct things
to rights ; and fo they were held captive by the fame
ipirit, in their feeking and waiting, whereby the others
are held in their forms. Thus have perfons generally
miffed the following of that good Spirit, which began
to lead them out of Egypt, the dark land ; and,
lofing their guide, have fixed fome-where or other by
the v^ay ; reftiag in fome form, or in fome notion or
expectation of things (according as in their wifdom
they have imagined from their fkill in the letter) fhort
of the life itfelf. Thus have their carcaffes fallen in
^he wildernefs^
Now
PREFACE. 263
Now this I have to fay to you all : all you who reft
in any form whatfoever, or reft in any notion or appre-
hinfion of things ftiort of the life itfelf, ye had even
as good have ftayed in Egypt, as to fix by the way,
and to take up a reft in the wildernefs, fhort of Canaan.
In plain terms, ye had as good have abode in Popery
orEpifcopacy j ye had been as acceptable to God there
as here. Not that I fay your forms of Independency,
Anabaptifm, or Seeking, are as bad as Popery, Epif-
copacy, or Preft^ytery : nay; they are all fomewhat
nearer, and the laft of them very much nearer: but
your fixing there, and the dead fpirit feeding there on
the dead thing, is as remote from life as if it had gone
quite back again. And this dead fpirit is as hateful
to God here, as it is among the Papifts j yea, and in
one fenfe more, becaufe it makes a pretence beyond
them.
And the truth is, ye have gone back again, though
not in the direft form, yet into that very fpirit wherein
Popery's ftrength and kingdom lie; and fo are become
one of the beaft's names; and your ftrength and defence
lies in the beaft's horns, either in the outward powers
of the earth, or in that inward knowledge of things
and wifdom from the letter, v/hich is out of the life,
and fo are not yet come out of the city of Babylon.
For mark: the fpirit that fixeth in a form fliort of the
life, is the fame that whored from the life : and the
fame fpirit is the whore ftill, in what form foever ftie
be. The Spirit that rofe up in the life, againft the
death and corruption whereof Popery wholly confifted,
was a good Spirit; and this Spirit would pafs through
all forms, till it meet with the life. — It is the other
fpirit that fays to thee. Thou haft gone far enough ;
and fo tempts thee to ftay by the way. And he whcr
hearkens to this fpirit, and ftays any-where by the way,
is caught with the old whore in a new drefs, and is
drinking the cup of fornication afrefti. And then,
like the Papifts, he runs to the powers of the earth, to
defend his form againft the witneftes of God (and
that is his cover under which he perfecutes, and there
he
2^4 PREFACE.
he lies hid), or at lead to his own wifdom and reafon,
to ftrengthen himfelf with arguments for fixing here,
and againft going any further. And then he grows wife
in the fleili, and cries againft them who are Itill led by
the fame Spirit to prefs on further, as wealv, filly,
giddy, unfettled, feduced people, that can never know
when they are well. Thus the wife Epifcopalians re-
viled the fimple-hearted Non-conformifts, who puriued
further than they. And the Non-conformifts, when
they loft their fimplicity, and began to ftick, reviled
thofe that purfued beyond them. And thus at this
day, thofe who are prefiing on in the Spirit, are dif-
dained by thofe who have taken up their ftation in
the flefli J and with their two great horns of earthly
power and earthly wifdom, are they pufliing at them.
Look about ye, look about ye, all forts of devout
profeftbrs j fee where ye are ! Are you not dead in
your forms? Is not the good old Puritan principle
(wherein once was true life in its meafure) dead and
buried there ? Confider with yourfelves ; hath that
grown in your forms ? Or hath it been Gain there ?
Speak the truth in your own hearts ; can ye truly fay,
from a fenfible feeling in the life, that that principle
is ftill alive in you ? If it were fo, ye could never be
drawn to perfecute, no, nor fuffer perfecution, ye that
have power to hinder it : but if that feed be choked,
then ye may well connive at, if not further the
enemy, and plead for him, and join intereftswith him.
While Abel lived in you, Cain could not rife up in
his dominion; but now the right feed is (lain, the mur-
thering nature appears.
O haften out of this fpirit ! Haften out of Babylon !
Caft off the fpirit of Popery : return to the old
Puritan principle : do not cry it up in deceit, to
oppofe the preient appearance of truth, which is grown
up further in it; but fubjed: that dead formal earthly
fpirit to it, which is fallen beneath it. And when ye
are come to a true touch of life there, ye may be able
to own the fame truth in its growth to a further mea-
fure. But while thou arc in the dead underftanding,
and
PREFACE. 265
and from the power and life of truth in thine own par-
ticular, doft thou think to be able to meafure truth
aright in others ? Nayj thou meafurefl by a falfe ap-
pearance of things in the fallen underftanding, and
in the wifdom which thou haft gathered there, fince
thou thyfelf felleft from the living principle: and this
muft needs commend that mod which is neareil to it,
and not that which is neareft to truth. And this is
the great error of this age; men, with a gathered
knowledge from fcripture words, without the true
faith and life, go about to meafure that life and know-
ledge which comes from the faith ; and becaufe it
fuits not with the apprehenfions which they have taken
into their minds, they condemn it. And thus, being
in the ftumbling wifdom, and way of obfervation to
which truth was never revealed, but was ever an of-
fence, they flumbled at it: and fo men generally dafh
and fplit themfelves againft the fame rock now, as the
Pharifees did of old. Now this underftanding muft
perifh, and this wifdom in men be brought to nought,
before that can be raifed up which can judge aright.
Hearken therefore to my exhortation, as ye love
your fouls; Come out of Popery in deed and in truth :
Come out of the spirit of Popery : Burn the whore,
in her new forms as well as in her old : Caft off all
thefe new names of the beaft, under which the old
fpirit has made a prey of the life in your own particulars,
and lies lurking to make a prey of the life in others, and
to force it into its own deceitful forms of death, and flay
it. Leave defending your'faith and church by the beaft's
horns, and come to that faith and church which is re-
ceived, gathered, and defended by Chrift, the One
Horn of Salvation. Leave your reafonings and dif-
putings in that wifdom which has flain the life, and
come to that wifdom which comes from the life, and
fprings up in the life; and ye will find more certainty
and fatisfa<5tion in one touch of true life, than in all
the reafonings and difputes of wife men to the world's
end. The ground wherein mens religion grows (even
the moft zealous) is bad; even the fame ground wherein
the
2.66 PREFACE.
the Pharlfees religion flood and grew ; and it hath
brought forth fuch a kind of fruit j namely, fuch a
kind of conformity to the letter as theirs was; which
flands in the underftanding and will of man, rearing
tip apleafant building there, but keeps from the life,
and from building in it. But the true religion ftands
in receiving a principle of life •, which, by its growth,
forms a veflel for itfelfj and all the former part, where-
in fm on the one hand, or felf-righteoufnefs on the other
hand, ftood and grew, paffeth away.
Thefe things following ftrike at the king of Babylon
himfelf; yea, even at the very root of the antichriftian
fpirit in every man ; which he that can mildly receive
the ftroke of, may feel the true Spirit of life (which
lies underneath) fpring up in him, and give life to
his foul : which, when it is delivered, will be able
truly to know, and rejoice in, the Lord his Saviour.
And when the root of that fpirit is cut down (which
never brought forth fweet pleafant fruit unto life •, but
only four fruit, finely painted and drefled for the eye
and palate of death), its body, branches, leaves, and
fruit, will wither and die daily, and truth come to
grow fafely.
THE
[ 267 ]
THE
AXE LAID TO THE ROOT
OF THE
OLD CORRUPT TREE.
A Distinction between the Faith which is
of Man, and the Faith which is of GOD:
One whereof is the Faith of Sion, the other
the Faith of Babylon : The one laying hold on
Chrift, as he is revealed the King of Life in
Sion; the other lays hold on an Hiftorical Re-
lation of Chrift, the Fame whereof hath found-
ed in Babylon.
THERE is a faith which is of a man's felfj and z
faith which is the gift of God: or a power of
believing, which is found in the nature of fallen manj
and a power of believing, which is given from above.
As there are two births, the firft and the fecond, {o
they have each their faith ; and each believe with their
faith, and feem to lay hold on the fame thing for life;
and the contention about the inheritance will not be
ended, till God determine it. Cain will facrifice with
his faith, and he believes he fhall be accepted : if he
had not believed fo, he would not have been fo angry
when he found it otherwife : and the Cainifh fpirit in
man, the vagabond from the life of God, which hath
not an habitation in God, nor the eternal life of God
abiding in him, is bufy with the fame faith at this day,
and hath the fame expedation from it as Cain had.
Vol. I. Y This
268 The AXE laid to the ROOT
This Is the root of the falfe religion; of the falfe
hope; of the falfe peace ; of the falfe joy •, of the falfe
reft; of the falfe comfort-, of the falfe afTurance; as the
other is of the true. In this faith, which is of man,
and in the improvement of it, ftands all the knowledge,
zeal, devotion, and worfhip of the world in general,
and of the worldly part in every man in particular :
but the true knowledge, the true zeal, the true devo-
tion, the true worlhip, ftands in the faith which is
given of God, to them which are born of the immor-
tal feed; which lives in God, and in which God liveth
for ever.
Now it deeply concerns every man, to confider from
which of thefe his knowledge, religion, and worftiip
proceed, and in which of them they ftand. For if they
proceed from, and ftand in, the faith which is of man,
they cannot pleafe God, nor conduce to the falvation of
the foul. But though they may tafte very pleafantly to
man's palate now, and adminifter much hope and fatis-
fadtion to him at prefent, yet they will fail at the time
of need: for, as Chrift faid concerning the righteouf-
nefs of the Scribes and Pharifees, fo may I concerning
this faith ; Except your faiths with the works of ity ex-
ceed that faithy and all the works of it (even to the ut-
termoft improvement thereof) which is to he found in
maris nature^ it will never lead you to the kingdom of Gody
nor he able to give you any ri^ht to the inheritance of life,
— For he that will inherit, muft be the right heir, muft
have the faith of Abraham, the faith of Ifaac ; which
fprings up from the root of life in the feed ; and this
leads the feed into that fpring of life (out of which
it fhot forth as a branch) which is the inheritance pro-
mifed to the feed. And here is Chrift, Alpha and
Omega, in every particular foul where life is begun
and perfe6ted, running its courfe through time, back
to that which was before the beginning.
Therefore obferve, and confider well, what this faith
which is of a man's felf can do; and how far it may go
in the changing of man, and in producing a conformity
of him to the letter of the fcriptures. And then con-
fider
CF THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 269
fider where it is fhut our, what it cannot do, what
change it cannot make, what it cannot confornn to;
that Jo the true diftindion may be let into the mind,
and not a foundation laid of fo great a miftake in a
matter of fo great concernment.
J. A man may believe the hillory of the fcriptures;
yea, and all the doftrines of them (fo far as he can
reach them with his underftanding) with this faith
which is of man. As by this faith a man can believe
an hiftory probably related to himj fo by this faith he
believes the hiftories of the fcriptures, which are more
than probably related. As by this faith a man can
receive dodtrines of inftru61ion out of philofophers
books; fo by the fame faith he may receive doftrines of
inflru6lion out of the fcriptures. Reading a relation of
the fall of man, of the recovery by Chrift, that there
is no other way to life, &c. this faith can believe the
relation of thefe things, as well as it can believe the
relation of other things.
2. This being believed from the relation of the hif-
tory of thefe things, it natinally fets all the powers of
man on work (kindling the undcrilanding, will, and
affedions) towards the avoiding of mifery, and the
attaining of happinefs. What would not a man do
to avoid perpetual extremity of mifery on foul and
body for ever, and to obtain a crown of everlaftino-
blefiednefs ? This boils the affeclions to an heio^ht, and
fets the underftanding on work to the utmofl, to gather
all the rules of Icripture, and to praftife all the duties
and ordinances therein mentioned. What can tlie icrip-
ture propofe to be believed, that he will not believe ?
What can it propofe to be done, that he will not do?
Muft he pray ? He will pray. Muft he hear .? He will
hear. Mull he read? He will read. Muft he medi-
tate ? He will meditate. Muft he deny himfelf, and all
his own righteoufnefs and duties, and hope only for
falvation in the m.erits of Chrift? He will feem* to do
that too ; and fay, xwhea he has done all he can, he is
but an unprofitable fervant. Does the fcripture fay he
can do nothing without the Spirit ? He wil! acknow-
Y 2 ledge
270 The axe laid to the ROOT
ledge that too, and he hopes he has the Spirit. God
hath promifed the Spirit to them thatafk it; and he has
afked long, and al"ks dill, and therefore hopes he has it.
Thus man, by a natural faith, grows up and fpreads
into a great tree, and is very confident and much
pleafedi not perceiving the defect in his root, and what
all his growth here will come to.
3. This being done with much ferioufnefs and in-
duftry, there m.uil needs follow a great change in man:
his underftanding will be more and more enlightened ;
his will more and more conformed to that to which he
thus gives himfelf up, and to which he thus bends
himfelf with all his ftrength-, his affeftions more and
more warmed; he will find a kind of life and growth
in this, according to its kind. Let a man's heart be
in any kind of ftudy or knowledge, applying himfelf
llrictly to it, he gathers underftanding in his mind,
and warmth in his afFe6tion : fo it is alfo here. Yea,
this being more excellent in itfelf, muft needs produce
a more excellent underftanding, and a more excellent
■warmth, and have a greater power and influence upon
the will.
4. Now, how eafy is it for a man to miftake here, and
call this the truth ? Firft, he miftakes this for the true
faith; and then he miftakes in applying to this all that
■which belongs to the true faith : and thus entering into
the fpiritof error at firft, he errs in the whole courfe of
his religion, from the beginning to the end. He fees a
change made by this in him; and this he accounts the
true converfion and regeneration. This leads him to
afk, and feek, and pray ; and this he accounts the true
praying, the true feeking, the true afl<.ing. This
cleanfeth (after its kind) his underftanding, will,
and affettions; and this he takes for the true fanftifica-
tion. The juftification which is to the true believer,
he alfo applies to this faith ; and fo he has a peace, a
fatisfadion, a reft here, and an hope of happinefs here-
after. Thus he receives what is already revealed ; and
he waits for what may be further revealed, which he
can embrace and conforin to, turning ftill upon this
center.
OF THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 271
center, and growing up from this root. And he that
does not come hither in religion, falls fhort of the im-
provement of man's nature, and of the faith that
grows there (which naturally leads all the powers of
nature hither, and fixes them here), which is but dead.
And now this man is fafe; he is a believer; he is a
worfhipper of God; he is a Chriftian; he is an ob-
ferver of the commands of Chrift : when the overflow-
ing fcourge comes, it fhall not touch him : all the
judgments, plagues, threatenings, in the fcriptures,
belong not to him, but to the unbelievers ; to them
that know not God ; to them that worfhip not God ;
to them that obferve not the commands of Chrift,
Thus, by his un tempered mortar from his falfe fait<h,
he has built up a wall againft the deluge of wrath ;
which wall will tumble down upon him when the wrath
comes. The growth of this faith, and great fpreading
of it into all this knowledge, zeal, and devotion, hath
not changed the nature of it all this while; but it is
the fame that it was at the beginning, even a power of
nature in the firft birth ; and all thefe fruits are but
the fruits of the firft nature, which is ftill alive under
all this. All this can never kill the principle out of
which it grows; but feeds it more, and fattens it for
the flaughter.
Thus far this faith can go: but then there is fome-
what it is ftiut out of at the very firft: there is fome-
what this faith cannot receive, believe, or enter into.
What is that ? It is the life, the power, the inward
part of this. Though it may fee m to have unity with
all the fcriptures in the letter; yet it cannot have unity
with one fcripture in the life: for its nature is ftiut out
of the nature of the things there witnelTed. As for
inftance: it may have a literal knowledge of Chrift,
according as the fcripture relates ; of his birth, preach-
ing, miracles, death, refurredlion, afcenfion, inter-
cefiion, &c. Yea, but the thing fpoken of it know-
eth not. The nature of Chrift (vvjiich is the Chrift),
is hid from that eye. So it may have a literal know-
ledge of the blood of Chrift, and of juftification;
Y3 but
12;^ The axe laid to the ROOT
but the life of the blood which livingly juftifieth, that
birth cannot feel; but can only talk of it, according
to the relation it reads in the fcripture. So it may
have a literal knowledge of fanftification j but the thing
that fan6lifieth, it cannot receive into itfelf. So for
redemption, peace, joy, hope, love, &c. it may get
into the outward part of all thefe ; but the inward
part, the life, thefpiritof them, it is Iliut out of, and
cannot touch or come nearj nor can it witnefs that
change which is felt and known here. And here is the
great contention in the world between thefe two births ;
the one contending for their knowledge in the letter,
and the other contending for their knowledge in the
life: the one fetting up their faith from the natural
part, calling it fpiritual j and the other, who have
felt the ftroke of God upon this (and thereby come to
know the difference), fetting up the faith of the true
heir: which faith hath a different beginning, and a
different growth from the other, and will be welcomed
into the land and kingdom of life -, when the other
will be manifefted to be but the birth of the bond-
woman, and be thrufl forth with its mother to feek
their bread abroad: for the feed of the bond-woman
is not to inherit with Ifaac, the feed of promife.
Queft. IVhat then is that faith 'which is the gift of
God'^ And which is diftin£i from this?
AnJ. It is that power of believing which fprings out
of the feed of eternal life; and leavens the heart, not
with notions of knowledge, but with the powers of
life. The other faith is drawn out of man's nature,
by confiderations which affeiSt the natural part, and
is kept alive by natural exerciles of reading, hearing,
praying, ftudying, meditating in that part ^ but this
fprings out of a feed of life given, and grows up in
the life of that feed, and feeds on nothing but the flefh
and blood of Chrift; in which is the living virtue,
and immortal nourifhment of that which is immortal.
This faith, at its firfl entrance, ftrikes that part dead in
which the other faith did grow, and by its growth
perfeds that deaths and raifeth up a life which is of
another
OF THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 273
another nature than ever entered into the heart of man
to conceive. And by the death of this part in us, we
come to know and enjoy life; and by the life we have
received, know, and enjoy, we come to fee that
which other men call life (and which we ourfelves
were apt to call life formerly) to be but death. And
from this true knowledge, we give a true teftimony
to the world of what we have {een and feltj but no
man receiveth our teftimony. It grieves us to the
heart to fee men fet up a perifhing thing as the v/ay
to life J and our bowels are exceedingly kindled, when
we behold an honeft zeal and fimplicity betrayed ;
and in tender love do we warn men of the pit, into
which they are generally running fo faft ; though men
reward us with hatred for our good-will, and become
our bitter enemies becaufe we tell them the truth, and
the moft neceflary truth for them to know ; which they
can bear neither in plain words, nor yet in parables.
Yet be not rough and angry j but meekly wait to read
this following parable aright, and it will open into
life. The parable is briefly this :
That which fold the birth-right, feeks the birth-
right with tears and great pains; but fhall never re-
cover it. But there is one which lies dead (which hath
the promife), which ftirs not, which feeks not till he is
raifed by the power of the Father's life, and then he
wreftles with the Father, prevails, and gets the blelTing
from him. Therefore know that part which is up firft,
and is fo bufy in the willing and in the running, and
makes fuch a noife about duties, and ordinances, and
graces, to keep down the life which it hath flain : and
know that feed of life which is the heir, -which lies
underneath all this, and muft remain flain while this
lives : but if ever ye hear the voice of the Son of God,
this will live, and the other die. And happy for ever
will he be, who knows this! But mifery will be his
portion, who cannot witnefs a thorough change by the
almighty power of the living God, but hath only
painted the old nature and fepulchre, but never 1-cnew
the old bottle broken, and a new one formed, which
Y 4 alone
474 "^"^ AXE LAID TO THE ROOT
alone is able to receive and retain the new wine of the
kingdom j whereas the other (Pharifee-like) can only
receive a relation of the letter concerning the king-
dom.
Some Assertions concerning Faith, its
Nature, Rife, &c. with its Receiving of
Christ, and what follows thereupon ; name-
ly, a Growing in his living Virtue; with a
Knowledge of the true, living, unerring Rule,
and Obedience to it in the Life,
ASSERTION I.
THAT the true faith (the faith of the gofpel, the
faith of the eleft, the faith which faves the
finner from fin, and makes him more than a con-
queror over fm and the powers of darknefs) is a belief
in the nature of God; which belief giveth entrance into,
fixeth in, and caufeth an abiding in that nature.
Unbelief entereth into death, and fixeth in the death :
faith giveth entrance into, and fixeth in the life. Faith
is an ingrafting into the vine, a partaking of the nature
of the vine, a fucking of the juice of life from
the vine •, which nothing is able to do but the faith,
but the belief in the nature. And nothing can believe
in the nature, but what is one with the nature. So
then faith is not a believing the hiftory of the fcrip-
ture, or a believing and applying the promifes, or a
believing that Chrift died for finners in general, or for
me in particular; for ail this may be done by the un-
believing nature (like the Jew) ; but an uniting to the
nature of God in Chrift, which the unbeliever ftarts
from, in the midft of his believing of thefe. Yet I
do not deny that all thefe things are to be believed,
and
OP THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 275
and are believed with the true faith : but this I affirm,
that they alfo may be believed without the true faith j
and that fuch a belief of thefe doth not determine a
man to be a believer in the fight of God, but only the
union with the nature of that life from whence all thefe
fprang, and in which alone they have their true value.
II.
'That the true faith Jprings from the true knowledge^ or
comes with the true knowledge of the true nature of
God in Chrift, which it believes in. He can never
believe in the nature of God, who hath not firft the
nature of God revealed to him. If a man fearch the
fcriptures all his days, hear all that can be faid by men
concerning God, Chrift, faith, juftification, &c. be
able to difpute about them, and think he can make his
tenets good againft all the world; yet, if he hath not
received the true knowledge of the nature of thefe
things, all his profefled faith in them cannot be true,
III.
That the true knovuledge is only to he had by the imme-
diate revelation cf Chrijt in the foul. No man knows the
Father y but the Son, and he to whom the Son reveals him.
The dead fhall hear the voice of the Sen of Gody and they
that hear JJoall live. There is no raifing of a dead foul
to life, but by the immediate voice of Chrift. Out-
ward preaching, reading the fcriptures, &c. may
direcft and encourage men to hearken after and wait
for the voice; but it is the immediate voice of Chrift
in the foul, which alone can quicken the foul to God :
and till the light of life ftiine immediately from Chrift
in the heart, the true knowledge is never given, 2 Cor.
iv. 6. Therefore they that never yet heard the imme-
diate voice of Chrift, are ftill dead in their fins, and
have not yet received the true living knowledge, but
a dead literal- knowledge, which gives a falfe ihining
of things in the dead part, but kills the life. Indeed
the proper ufe of all means, is^ to bring to the imme-
diate voice, life, and power ; and till this be done, till
the
27^ The AXE laid to the ROOT
the foul come to that, to hear that, to feel that, to be
rooted there, there is nothing done that will ftand ;
but men Hick by the way, crying up the means, and
never knowing, tailing, or enjoying the thing which
the means point to. But he that knows God, comes
into the immediate prefence ; and he that daily lives
in God, lives in the immediate life; and the true faith
leads to this, giving the foul fuch a touch and tafte
of it at firft, as makes unfatisfiable without it. By
this Chrift cuts off the Jews, with all their zeal and
knowledge, John v. 37, 38. " Ye have not heard his
** voice at any time, nor feen his (hape ; and ye have
*' not his word abiding in you." There is the hearing
of the voice, the fight of the fhape, and the having
the word of God abiding in the heart, which gives
both the hearing of the voice, and the fight of the fliape,
and keeps the foul quick, and living in the life. The
voice gives life, the fight of the Ihape daily conforms
into the image, which is beheld by the eye of life ;
and the word abiding in the heart nourifhes and feeds
the living foul with the pure bread of life. But the
Jews knew not this; but were crying up their fabbaths,
the law of Mofes, the ordinances of Mofes, the temple
of God, the inftituted worfhip of God, and fo were
ihut out of the thing itfelf which thofe things ended in,
and out of a capacity of receiving it. And thus many
zealous ones at this day, not having come to this, no
more than the Jews did, but flicking in the letter of
the gofpel, as the Jews did in the letter of the law.
Humble at the prefent difpenfation of life, and cannot
do otherwife,
IV.
I'/jat Chriji*s immediate revelation of the nature of his
Father is to his babes. Not to the wife, not to the zealous,
not to the ftudious, not to the devout, not to the rich
in the knowledge of the fcriptures without : but to the
"weak, the foolilh, the poor, the lowly in heart. And
man receives not thefe revelations by Itudy, by reading,
by willing, by running, but by being formed in the
will
OF THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 277
will of life, by being begotten of the will of the
Father, and by coming forth in the will, and lying ftill
in the will, and growing up in the will, here the child
receives the wifdom which is from above, and daily
learns that crofs which crucifies the other wifdom,
which joins with and pleafes the other will, which
loves to be feeding on the fliadowy and hulky part of
knowledge, without life. Therefore, if ever thou
defire to receive this knowledge from Chrill, know
that eye in thyfelf that is to be blinded, which Chrift
will never reveal the Father to : read at home, know
the wife and prudent there, whom Chrift excludes from
the living knowledge. And if thou canft bear it, that
eye that can read the. fcriptures with the light of its
own underftanding ; that can confider and debate, and
take up fenfcs and meanings of it, without the im-
mediate life and power j that is the eye that may
gather Vv'hat it can from the letter, but fliall never fee
into the life, nor tafte of the true knowledge; for
Chrift, who alone opens and gives the knowledge,
hides the pearl from that eye.
The true knowledge is only poured into the new
vefiel. It is the living foul alone that receives the
living knowledge of the living God from Chrift the
life. The old nature, the old underftanding, is for death
and deftrucflion. The wifdom of the flefh (though painted
ever lb like the fpiritual wifdom) is not to be fpared any-
where; but that wifdom, with all its zeal, and growth,
and progrefs in religion, muft perifh. All mens know-
ledge of the fcriptures which they have gathered in
that part will profit them nothing, but hinder them.
Every building which the leprofy of fin hath overfpread,
is to be pulled down; therefore he that hath only the
old houfe fvv'ept and garnifhed, never received the true
knowledge (from whence the true faith fprings), but
his life lies in the oldnefs of the letter (in the confor-
mity of the dead part to that), and he knows not the
virtue of the knowledge of God in the newncfs of the
Spirit (the veil being over his heart) which is only
given to the new underftanding.
V. That
273 The^AXE laid to the ROOT
V.
'That this faith (which fprings from the true know-
ledge) is God's giftj and is not that power of believ-
ing which is to be found in man's nature ; but of
another nature, even the nature of the giver. And
when man is called to believe, he is not called to put
forth that faith wherewith he believeth other things;
but to receive and exercife the gift of faith, which is
from above. That which is to be believed in is fpiritual;
and that mull be fpiritual which believes in it. Man,
with all the powers of his nature, isfhutout; it is
another thing, diftinft from man, which is let into
life, and which lets man in. For man receiving the
faith, entering into .the faith, and becoming new-
formed in the faith, then he alfo may enter j but till
then he is fhut out, and knoweth not the life, let him
believe, and read, and pray, and hear, and exercife
himfelf in that which he calls duties and ordinances
ever fo much; for all thcfe, fet up in the wrong part
in man, only feed the wrong part ; and that, with all
its food and nourifhment, falls fhort of the life. There-
fore the true entrance into religion is to feel that
power which flays man's natural ability and propenfity
to believe, that fo the gift of the true faith may be
received: for there is no rifmg up and living of the
fecond, without the death of the firft, with all its na-
tural faculties and powers.
VI.
That by this faith alone ^ which is the gift which is from
ahove (and not that faith which grows either in the
wildernefs or garden of the old nature, and is fed by
the oldnefs of the letter, and not by the newnefs of
the Spirit) is Chrijl received. For Chrift can be receiv-
ed by the faith alone that comes from him ; and that faith
which comes from him cannot but receive him. Man's
faith refufeth him ; it receiveth a literal knowledge
of him from what it heareth from men, or from what it
readeth related in the fcripture concerning him ; but
refufeth the nature of the thing. And it cannot be
otherwife ; for man's faith not being of the nature of it,
cannot
OF THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 279
cannot but refufe it. But this faith, which is given of
God, which is from above, being of the fame life and
nature with Chrift, cannot refufe the fpring of its
own life ; but receiveth him immediately. There is
no diftance of time ; but fo foon as faith is received,
Chrift is received, and the foul united to him in the
faith. As unbelief immediately (huts him out, fo
faith lets him in immediately, and centers the foul in
him : and the immortal foul feels the immortal virtue,
and rejoices in the proper fpring of its own immortal
nature. But the faith of man never reaches this, never
receives Chrift, but only a relation of things concern-
ing him ; and with that faith which ftands in the letter,
oppofes that faith which ftands in the life. And here
is the fpirit of antichrift 3 here is the myftery of ini-
quity, working out of one form into another: for
antichrift does not diredlly deny Chrift, or deny the
letter; but cries up Chrift, cries up the letter, cries
up ordinances ; but fo as they may feed the faith of
his own nature, and maintain an hope there. And thus
the fpirit of man is at unity with what will feed his own,
with what interpretations his own underftanding can
gather out of the fcriptures. And thus can he cry up
Chrift, and fay he hopes to be faved by him, while
the fpirit of enmity againft the nature of Chrift lodg-
eth in its heart. This is antichrift, whcre-ever he is
found ; and this is his faith, and great is his know-
ledge, and many are his coverings ; but the Lord is
fearching him out, who will ftrip him, and make his
nakednefs appear.
VII.
That Chrijl is received as a grain of muftard-[eed. Chrift
is fuch a thing, as every eye, but the eye of this faith,
defpifeth. He is the ftone which the wifdom of the
builders, in all ages, hath rejedted. They look for a
glorious Mefliah; but they know him not in his hu-
miliation, in the little feed, out of which he is to
grow up into his glory : and fo miffing of the thing,
they build up only with high imaginations in the airy
mind
28o The AXE laid to the ROOT
mind concerning it. As when God fent Chrifl: in the
flefh, there was no form nor beauty in him; the Jews,
whofe hope and expeftation lay there, yet faw no man-
ner of comelinefs, no defirablenefs in him J even fo it is
now : when God comes to offer him to thofe that think
they place all their hopes in him, they fee no loveli-
nels in him, but refufe him daily. What ! this little
thing, fmall, like a grain of muftard-feed, can this
be the glorious Chrift which the fcriptures have fpoken
fo much of? Why we know the defcent of this (its
father, mother, and kindred are with us), we find this
'in our nature. Thus, like the Jews of old, they make
a great noife about Chrift, but refufe the thing itfelf.
And this for want of the true eye of faith : for if they
had that eye, they would fee the virtue in the little
feed, and receive him in his humiliation in their
hearts, where he knocks daily for entrance, and be
content till this grain of muftard-feed grew up into a
great and glorious tree. But for want of this eye, they
keep him out, and let in the painted murderer, who
dwells in them, and covers himfelf with a knowledge,
a zeal, a faith, and hope, &c. in the old nature, in
the old veffel, in the old underftanding: and thus they
give God and Chrift good words, while the evil fpirit
has their heart, and dwells there, bringing forth his own
old evil fruit under an appearance of devotion and holi-
nefs. Hear now, ye wife in the letter, but ftrangers
to the life! there is a twofold appearance of Chrift in
the heart ; there is an appearance of him as a fervant
to obey the law, to fulfill the will of the Father in
that body which the Father prepares there for him: and
there is an appearance of him in glory, to reign in
the life and power of the Father : and he that knows
not the firft of thefe in his heart, ftiall never know the
fecond there. And he that knows not thefe inwardly,
Ihall never know any outward vifible coming to his
comfort. For if Chrift ftiould come outwardly to
reign (as many expeft), yet to be fure he would not
reign in thee, whofe heart he hath not firft entered
into and fubdued to himfelf j which is only to be done
by
OF THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 281
by his appearance there, firfl as a fervanr, then as a
king. But what eftate are Chriftians (fo called) now
in, who know not him in thenn who is able to ferve the
Lord ; but are driving and fighting in that nature where
fin hath the power, and which can never overcome,
being not in union with, but ftrangers to, that life and
power which is the conqueror ! Therefore let all con-
fider in the depths of their hearts ; for this is infal-
libly true : they that never received the feed of life
in their hearts, never received Chrift; and fuch fhall
never be free from fin while they live : for having not
received the Son, v/ho makes free, how can they be
free indeed? Or be free from wrath when they are dead?
For that faith concerning Chrift will not fave them
hereafter, which did not bring them to receive Chrift
here.
VIIL
'That this feed being 7'eceived, groweth up into its own-
form ; or is formed in that creature into which it is
received. It there groweth up into the body in which
it is to ferve the Lord, and which body is to be glorified
when it has finiftied its fervice. As a feed caft into
fitted earth, or the feed of man or beaft fowed in a
fitting womb, receiveth form and groweth into a plant,
or living creature; fo it is with this feed in its earth.
Open the true eye, O ye Chriftians ! and begin to read
the myftery of godlinefs.
IX.
that this creature J or the Spirit of life in this creature
(which it is in union with, and which is never feparated
from it) is the Chrifiian^s ruky Gal. vi. 15, 16. i John
ii. 27. Heb. viii. 10, 12. The Son is never without
the Spirit of the Father; no, not in the feed; and the
Spirit of the Father is the Son's rule. Outward rules
were given to a ftate without; to men who were not
brought to the life, but were exercifed under fiiadows
and reprefentations of the life: but the Son, who is
within, who is the fubftance of all, who is the life,
who
282 The AXE laid to th£ ROOT
who is one with the Father, whofe proper right the
Spirit is, he is not tied to any outward rule ; but is to
live and walk in the immediate light of the Spirit of
his own life. And he that hath the Son, hath this
rule ; and he that hath not this rule, hath not the Son:
and he that hath not the Son, hath not the true faith
(which ianmediately receives him) and fo is no
Chriftian; but hath ftole the name from the letter, hav-
ing never received the nature from the Spirit, to which
aione the name belongs.
X.
He that hath Chrijiy or the feed of eternal life, which
is Chrift, formed in him {which feed the Spirit always
dwells in, and never is abjent from, which is the fame
Spirit which gave forth the Jcriptures'), he is in a capacity
of underjlanding thofe fcriptures which that Spirit gave
forth, as that Spirit leads him into the underflanding of
them. But he that hath not received that which is
like the grain of muftard-feed, and fo hath not Chrift,
nor his Spirit (whatever he may pretend to), he, by
all his ftudies, arts, languages, reading of expofitors,
conferences, nay, experiences, can never come to the
true knowledge of the fcriptures j for he wants the true
key, which alone can open. He may have got a great
many wrong keys, none of which can openj but he
wants the true key, of the true knowledge, and fo is
fhut out of that j and only let into fuch a kind of
knowledge as the wrong key can open into. And
with this kind of knowledge th© merchants of Babylon
have long traded j but their day is expiring apace, and
their night of lamentation and hovv'ling hafteneth.
XI.
'Though he can underfland the fcriptures, as the Spirit
leads him into the knowledge of them, and can Jet his Jeal
to the truth of them, yet he cannot call them his rule : For,
having received the life for his rule, and knowing it to
be fo, he cannot call another thing it. He that hath
received the new covenant into his heart, with the laws
of
OF THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 283
of the life thereof written there by the Spirit of life,
who doth write them there, even in the lead of all
that believe, as well as in the greateft, he knoweth
that this living writing is his rule. The fcriptures give
relation where the covenant and law of life is written ;
and if I will read it, thither muft I go, whither the
fcriptures point me. I muft go to Chrift the book of
life, and read therewith that eye which Chrift gives,
if I read the things of life. And the fcriptures are
willing to furrender up their glory to Chrift, who was
before them, and is above them, and fliall be after
them. But there is a falfe fpirit, which hath feated
itfelf in a literal knowledge of the fcriptures, and hath
formed images and likenefles of truth from it (every
one after the imaginations of his own heart) •, and all
thefe fall, if Chrift the life appear: and fo this fpirit
cries up the fcriptures now in a way of deceit, juft as
the Jews cried up Mofes. It was a good remove, to
withdrav/ the ear from the falfe church, and to liften to
the true teftimony which the fcriptures give of Chrift:
but it is the feducing fpirit which tempts to ftick by
the way, and to rear up buildings and forms of know-
ledge from the letter of the fcriptures, and not come to
feel after, unite with, and live in, Chrift the life. And
unlefs ye come to this, your reading of the fcripture is
vain, and all your gathering rules of practice, and com-
forts from promifes, will end in vanity : for until ye
know, and have received the thing itfelf, ye are at a
diftance from that to which all belongs. A lively and
glorious teftimony of truth hath God held forth in this
age, at which all that ftick in the letter cannot but
ftumble J and there is no poffibility of knowing or
receiving it, but by feeling the true touch of the in-
ward life of it. " Wifdom is juftified of her children:"
but they that are not born of her, cannot juftify her
womb or birth.
To the Jews, who were an outward people, there was
an outward rule given, a law of commandments,
ftatutes, judgments, and ordinances, proper to that
Vol. 1. Z ftate
284 The axe laid to the ROOT
ftate wherein they were, and to that thing to which the
miniftry was : but all this was to be done away, and
to end in that which all this reprefented. So that to
Chriftians, Chrift the fubflance being conne, which is
the end of all thefe fhadows, the true Jew being raifed
in the immediate life, now there is a necefTity for the
immediate life for the rule. To them under the gofpel,
to them who are come to the fubilance, to them who
are begotten and born in the life, there can be no rule
proportionable to their ftate, but Chrift the fubftance,
Chrift the life. Here he alone is the light, the way,
the truth, the rule; the Spirit is here the rule, the new
creature is the rule, the new covenant the rule; all
which are in unity together, and he that hath one of
them hath them all, and he that hath not them all,
hath none of them. So that direftions taken out of
the fcripture, cannot be the rule to him who is the
true Chriftian j but the meafure of grace, the meafure
of the light, the meafure of the Spirit, the meafure
of the gift received into the living foul from the
fpring of life, this is the alone rule of life. But
Chriftians in the degeneration have loft this, and fo
have taken up words for a rule (which were not given
to that end); and fo with dedudlions by the earthly
part, they feed the earthly part. What is fed by mens
fcripture knowledge, but the earthly underftanding?
The earthly will heated ; the earthly afFeftions warmed?
And of the fruits of this earth they bring facrifices to
God : and they are angry that God hath raifed up
Abel, their younger brother, who offers up the Lamb
of God to God, and ferves the living God, jn his own
living Spirit, and with the faith which comes from him.
Abel's religion ftands not in that part wherein all
other mens religion ftands, but in the death of that
part} and in the raifing up of another part, wherein
life fprings. Can ye mildly receive thefe gentle lead-
ings ? Do not provoke the tender heart of the Lamb
againft you, who alfo hath the voice of a lion, and
can roar terribly out of his holy mountain againft the
enemies of his life «nd Spirit.
A Nc-
OF THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 28$
A Necefiary WARNING,
And of very great Importance to all that call
themfelves Christians, and hope for a
Share in the Book of Life, and the efcaping
the Damnation of Hell; which is their Por-
tion whofe Names are written in the Book of
Death, and blotted by God out of the Book
of Life, though they hope to find them
written there.
HEAR and CONSIDER.
IT is recorded. Rev. xxii. 18, 19. " If any man fhall
" add unto thefe things, God fhali add unto hiiti
" the plagues that are written in this book. And if
" any man fhall take away from the words of the book
" of this prophecy, God fhall take away his part out
" of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and
" from the things which are written in this book."
Great are the plagues that are written in this book,
even the pouting out of eternal wrath without mixture ;
torment day and nighty in the -prefence of the Lamby &c.
As the growth and fulnefs of the myftery of iniquity
are fpoken of in this book, fo the meafuring out of the
fulnefs of wrath to it, is fpoken of alfo. And great is
the life and bleffednefs that is here promifed, to
thofe that fight with, and overcome, the myftery of
iniquity j and receive not any marks or names of the
beaft, nor are fubject to any of his horns, though he
pufh ever fo hard with them. Now to meet with all
the plagues here threatened, and to mifs of all the
blefiednefs here promifed, is it not a fad (late ? Why,
he that addeth to thefe things here fpoken, or diminiih-
Z 2 eth
286 The AXE laid to the ROOT
eth from the words of this prophecy, the Lord hath
iaid this fhall befall him. Therefore, in the fear of
that God who hath fpoken this, and will mal<:e it good,
let every one fearch, who is the adder, who is the
diininiflier ?
Now mark, fee if this be not a clear thing. He
that giveth any other meaning of any fcripture, than
what is the true proper meaning thereof, he both ad-
deth and diminiflieth ; he taketh away the true fenfe,
he addeth a fenfe that is not true. The Spirit of the
Lord is the true expofitor of fcriptures j he never ad-
deth nor diminilheth: but man, being without that
Spirit, doth but guefs, doth but imagine, doth but
ftudy or invent a meaning, and fo he is ever adding or
diminifhing. This is the fenfe, faith onej this is the
fenfe, faith another j this is the fenfe, faith a third;
this, faith a fourth: another that is witty, and large in
his comprehenfion, he fays they will all (land-, another,
perhaps more witty than he, fays none of them will
Hand, and he invents a meaning different from them
all. And then, when they are thus expounding them,
they will fay, take the fenfe thus, it will yield this ob-
fervation; or take it thus, and it will afford this ob-
fervation. Doth not this plainly fhew, that he who
thus faith, hath not the Spirit of the Lord to open the
fcripture to him, and manifeft which is the true fenfe,
but is working in the myftery of darknefs ? And yet
this very perfon, who is thus working with his own
dark fpirit in the dark, will in words confefs, that
there is no true underftanding or opening of fcripture,
but by the Spirit of God. If it be fo, how darefl
thou fet thy imagination, thy fancy, thy reafon, thy
nnderfbanding on work, and fo be gueffing at that
which the Spirit doth not open to thee, and fo art found
adding and diminifhing?
Now he that is the adder, he that is the diminifher,
he crieth out againft the Spirit of the Lord, and charg-
eth him with adding and diminifhing: for man being
judge, he will judge his own way to be true, and
God's to be falfe. That which is the adding and di-
minifhing,
OF THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 287
minifliing, he calls the true expounding of the place;
but if the Spirit of the Lord immediately open any
thing to any fon or daughter, he cries. This is an adding
to the word: the fcripture is written; there arc no more
revelations to be expelled now ; the curfe, faith he, is
to them that add. Thus he removes the curfe from his
own fpirit, and way of ftudy and invention, to which
it appertviins j and cads it upon the Spirit of the Lord.
And man cannot poflibly avoid this in the way that he
is in ; for having firft judged his own darknefs to be
light, then in the next place he muft needs judge the
true light to be darknefs. He that hath afore-hand
fet up his own invented meaning of any fcripture to
be the true meaning, he muft needs oppofe the true
meaning, and call it falfe, and fo apply himfelf to
form all the arguments he can out of other fcriptures,
to make it appear falfe. Thus man, having begun
wrong in his knowledge of the fcriptures, ftands en-
gaged to make ufe of them againft the Lord, and
againft his own foul; and yet really in himfelf thinks
that he makes a right ufe of them, and that he ferves
the Lord, and that he is not oppoling his truth, but
oppofing error and herefy; while he himfelf is in the
error, and in the herefy, and againft the truth; being
a ftranger to that Spirit, in whofe immediate life and
prefence the truth grows.
Did the Lord, in thefe words of forbidding to add
ordiminifti upon fo great a penalty, lay a reftraint and
limit upon his own Spirit, that it ftiould no more here-
after fpeak in his fons and daughters -, or did he in-
tend to lay bounds upon the unruly fpirit of man ?
Pid God leave man's fpirit at liberty to invent and
form meanings of his words, and bind up his own
Spirit from fpeaking further words afterwards? When
Mofes faid. Thou ftialt not add or diminifti, was this to
be any ftop to the prophets, in whom God ftiould
fpeak afterwards ? Is not this one of the fubtil ferpent's
inventions, to keep up the efteem of man's invented
meanings as the true fenfe, and to make a fortification
againft the entrance of that Spirit, which can difcover
Z 3 all
288 The AXE laid to the ROOT
all his falfe interpretations of the true words of God,
and to make him fee that he is the adder and the di-
minifher, and that his namewill not be found in the book
of life, when the true light is held forth to read by.
But this is general, extending to all fcriptures; my
drift is more particularly concerning adding to the
things, or diminifhing from the words of the book of
this prophecy.
There are two things chiefly fpoken of in this book;
Myftery Sion, Myftery Babylon ; the true church, the
falfe church ; the Lamb's wife, the whore ; the hiding
of Myftery Sion, the appearing of Myftery Babylon in
her place; the flying of the church out of her heaven
into the wildernefs, leaving all behind her \vhich flie
could not carry along with her; even all the ordinan-
ces and inftitutions of Chrift, wherein once flie ap-
peared worlhipping and ferving God ; and the ftart-
ing of the falfe church into her place; taking up
all that flie had left, even all the ordinances and
inftitutions of Chrift in the letter ; thus covering
herfelf with the form of godlinefs, with the flieeps
clothing, that ftie might pafs the better for the true
church : and the dragon who managed the war againft
the woman and her feed, raifeth up firft one beaft, and
then another, and fets this whore on the top of them ;
who with the cup of fornication makes all the earth
drunk, all nations, peoples, kindreds, tongues, lan-
guages. And the beaft has his horns every-where; h^"^
marks every-where ; his names every-where ; and
alfo his image in every part of Babylon. And who
will not worfhip him, he fights with ; yea, fuch as are
led by God to rent from the whore, he calls fchifmaticks,
hereticks, blafphemers, and perfecutes them as per-
fons not worthy to live. Thus the ftate of things is
quite changed, the power of truth loft, the form fet
up without it ; thofe that feek after the power hated,
perfecuted, and blafphemed ; but thofe that lie ftill
under any of the beaft's forms, go for good Chriftians;
for members of the vifible church, fo called by them.
Now
OF THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 289
Now mark : he that calls any thing the church, but
what this book calls the church, he adds : he that doth
not know the wildernefs, and own the church in the
wildernefs, he diminifhes. The church of Rome is
not the church in the wildernefs; the church of Scot-
land is not the church in the wildernefs; and the
church of England is not the church in the wildernefs ;
the feveral gathered churches are none of them the
church in the wildernefs : all thefe have fprung up
fince the churches flight, and have appeared in her
abfence, ufurping her name, appropriating it to them-
felves ; but God (who gave it to the church) hath
not given it to them ; and fo they muft lofe it again,
when God brings back the church out of the wilder-
nefs. So he that calls thofe, which formerly were the
inftitutions and ordinances of Chrift, which the woman
left behind her, and which the harlot hath got and
attired herfelf with, which fhe now appears in, and
wherewith the dragon is now worlhipped, he adds to
this book, which fays the outward court was given to
the Gentiles, and the true church had nothing left her
but the inward temple, wherein alone the true wor-
fhippers worfhipped ; and they that worfhip elfewhere,
are the falfe worfhippers, worfliipping in falfe tem-
ples, in temples of the whorifh fpirit's building ; take
it either outwardly or inwardly, for it hold^ true in
both. He that makes the bead's names fewer than they
are, or his marks fewer than they are, or his horns
fewer than they are, or his image lefs than it is, he
diminifhes. And the danger hereof is not fmall;
" For if any man worfliip the beaft and his image,
" and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
" the fame fliall drink of the wine of the wrath of
" God, which is poured out without mixture into the
" cup of his indignation, and he (hall be tormented
*' with fire and brimflone in the prefence of the holy
" angels, and in the prefence of the lamb : and the
" fmoke of their torment afcendeth up for ever and
*' ever, and they have no rell day nor night, who wor-
Z 4 « fhip
49© The AXE laid to the ROOT
*' fhip the beaft and his image, and whofoever recclv-
" eth the mark of his name," Rev. xiv. 9, &c.
Now this I affirm : Whofoever has not the name of
Sion, the mark of Sion, which he received of her in
the wildernefs, where the living God is with her, and
where he is taught by God the laws of the wildernefs-
worlhip, and in fome meafure to teftify againft all the
corrupted ordinances and inftitutions which have the
beaft's mark, and go now abroad in the world under
the beaft's name : I fay, whoever has not the true mark
of Sion, it is impoffible for him to avoid the mark of
Babylon. And he who avoids not the mark, cannot
efcape the plagues. But he that hath the mark of Sion,
is, by a fecret inward inftinft of true life, led from the
marks of Babylon j and (if he faithfully follow the
guidance of it) from out of all the names, and from
under all the horns.
It is not enough to rent from Popery, and fit down
under the power and government of the fame fpirit in
another form j or to rent from Epifcopacy, and the
fame fpirit fit down in Prefbytery; or to rent from
Prefbytery, and the fame fpirit fit down in a form of
Independency, or Anabaptifm -, or to rent from thefe,
and the fame fpirit fit down in a way of feeking and
waiting, and reading of words of fcripture, and gather-
ing things from thence without the life : but the true
religion confifts in knowing and following a true guide
to the church in the wildernefs, and there to receive
the mark, the living mark, which will preferve out of
all invention, and further progrefs of the dead fpirit.
Now therefore look about you -, know the fpirit of
whoredom, and fee how ye have been begotten in the
adultery, and born of the whore, and have ferved the
dragon, and worfiiipped his dead idols, and not the
living God. And be not fatisfted with changing of
forms and dreflfes (which are but the feveral deceitful
appearances of the whore), but put off that fpirit ;
left when ye have hated the whore, and burnt her flefh
as ftie appeared in one form, ye give yourfelves up to
her again, when fhe appear-s in another form : for the
plagues
OF THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 291
plagues are not fo much to the form wherein the whore
appears, as to the whorilh fpirit: and whofoever is
found under her dominion, in any of her territories,
under any of her forms, with that mark of hers upon
them which belongs to that particular form, though
ever fo curioufly painted, he Ihall drink of the un-
mixed cup of wrath.
Therefore tremble all forts of people I pluck off your
falfe coverings; fee the fhame of your nakednefs,
while it may be for your advantage lb to do. The
angel is gone forth, the corn is reaping and gathering
into the garner, many lambs are brought into the fold
of everlafting reft, Sion is redeeming, the true life is
rifing, the whorifh fpirit is judging, the door of life is
yet open. Do not lie fecure in the whore's wifdom!
Do not lie fiumbering, and reafoning, and difputing
from the letter of the fcripture, till the gathering be
finilhed, till the door be fhut, till the eternal flames
feize upon you, and ye find yourfelves in the bofom
of hell unawares, and fee the children of the kingdom
in Abraham's bofom, but yourfelves fhut out, and
left to weep, and wail, and gnafh your teeth.
Queft. But how may I avoid adding to the things, and
diminifhing from the "wordsy of this prophecy^ and of
other fcriptures j that I may not meet with the weight of
this curfey or mijs of the blejftng ?
Anf. Doft thou afk this queftion from thy heart, in
the fimplicity, out of the flelhly wifdom ? Then heark-
en with that ear, and thou Ihalt fet thy feal to mine
anfwer.
I. Wait for the key of knowledge, which is God's
free gift. Do not go with a falfe key to the fcriptures
of Truth; for it will not open them. Man i* too
hafty to know the meaning of the fcriptures, and to
enter into the things of God, and fo he climbs up
over the door with his own underftanding •, but he has
not patience to wait to know the door, and to receive
the key which opens and Ihuts the door ; and by this
means he gathers death out of words which came from
life, And this 1 dare pofitively affirm, that all that
have
292 The AXE laid to the ROOT
have gone this way to work have but a dead know-
ledge ; and it is death in them that feeds upon this
knowledge, and the life is not raifed. Confider now
the weight of this counfel in the true balance : there
is no opening of the fcriptures but by the true key,
nor is there any coming at the key till the Lord pleafe
to give it. What then is to be done, but only to
v/ait (in the filence of that part which would be for-
ward, and running before-hand) till the key be given,
and to know how to receive it, as it is offered in the
light J and not to wait in the will, or expe6l to receive
it according to obfervations in the flefhly wifdom from
the letter.
2. Let not thy underftanding have the managing of
this key, when it is given; but know the true opener,
the fkilful ufer of the key, the hand which can only
turn the key aright ; and let him have the managing
both of his own key, and of thine underftanding. Do
not run in thine own underftanding, or in thine own
will, to fearch out the meaning of fcripture-, for then
thou feedeft with the fcripture that which it is the in-
tent of all words of life to deilroy : but as thou wait-
cdft for the key at firft, fo continually wait for the ap-
pearances and movings of the ufer of the key, and
he will (hut out thy underftanding and will continually,
which would ftill be running after the literal part of
fcriptures J and let thee into the life both of the pro-
phecies and dodlrines thereof. Man, when he hath
received a true gift from God, he would be managing
of it himfeif, and to be fure he will manage it for
himfelf (for the gratifying and pleafing of himfeif,
and not for God) ; and then God, being provoked,
takes away the fubftance, and leaves him the ftiell.
Therefore he that hath received a gift muft be very
watchful againft that which would betray, or he may
eafily lofe it: for though the gifts and calling of God
are without repentances yet if that lay hold of the
gift which was not called, and to which it was not
given, the Lord will thruft that by, and take away his
gift from it.
3. Do
OF THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 293
3. Do not graft any of the fruit of the tree of life
upon the tree of knowledge; for it will not grow there:
an appearance, a likenefs of the true fruit may grow
there: but the true fruit itfelf will not. My meaning
is, do not make a treafury of knowledge in the under-
ftanding-part, which is to perifli j but know the true
treafury of all the things of life, which is in the life
itfelf; and in thatunderftanding which is formed, kept,
and lives in the life. Lay no manna by to feed upon in
the old ftore-houfe (left the fielhly part Ihould be
running thither, when its flefhly appetite is kindled
after food); but daily receive the continual bread from
the hand of life. The wifdom of the life itrikes at
thy wifdom and underftanding ; and if ever thou wilt
grow wife any more, thou lofeft this, and canft not
polTibly retain it : for that part is then getting up in
thee, in which it cannot be held : but only a lliadow,
an image, a refemblance and likenefs of it, which
feeds and pleafes that part which fain would have life,
but cannot know it; and therefore is necefiitated to
make images and likenefTes of things in heaven, or
things in earth, that it might have fomewhat.
4. Take not up a reft in openings of tilings, though
by the true key. Take heed of over-valuing that kind
of knowledge : for that part which over-values that
knowledge will prefently be puffed up with it; but
there is a more excellent and fafer kind of knowledge
to be prefled after, which is a knowledge of things by
receivino; of them. There is a knowledo-e of things
by the Spirit's opening the words which fpeak of them,
or by inward immediate prophecies from the word of
life in the heart. This is an excellent knowledge,
and not to be found in the earthly part of man : yet
the earthly part (when this knowledge is given) is
very apt to be fwelled and exalted with it; but then
there is alfo a knowledge, which arifeth from the gift
of the thing itfelf. This knowledge is very precious,
and much more full and certain than the other, having
the nature and immediate power of life in itfelf,
and fo is perfectly able to prelerve. As for inftance,
to
294 The AXE laid to the ROOT
to make it more plain : there may be a knowledge of
juftification, by the Spirit's opening the words written
in fcripture concerning juftification, and the blood
of fprinkling ; and this is a good knowledge, where
there is a true opening of it from the Spirit : but then
there is a knowledge by feeling of the blood of
fprinkling in the heart, and by feeing with the new
eye the way of its juftification ; and in this know-
ledge is the power and the cleanfing of the life re-
ceived, which in the other was but fpoken of. There-
fore reft not in opening of prophecies, or true mean-
ings of thefe things (though this kind of knowledge
is very excellent, and hath been very rare), but wait
to feel the thing itfelf which the words fpeak of, and
to be united by the living Spirit to that, and then thou
haft a knowledge from the nature of the thing itfelf j
and this is more deep and inward than all the know-
ledge that can be had from words concerning the
thing.
5. When thou feeleft things, then feek their prefer- i
vation in the proper fpring of their own life. Let the
root bear thee, and all thy knowledge, with all that is
freely given thee of God. When thou feeleft thyfelf
leavened with the life, and become a branch (hot out
of the life, then learn how to abide in the life, and to
keep all that is given thee there; and have nothing
which thou mayeft call thine own any more; but to be
loft in thyfelf, and found in him. Know the land of
the living, wherein all the things of life live, and can
live no-where elfe.
Now in all this, in this whole courfe, from the very
firft ftepof it, there is certainty, there is ftability, there
is infallibility. From the very firft opening of the
true key, I begin to learn fomewhat of God ; and to
learn certainly, and feel an affurance and eftablifti-
ment in it: and growing up here, I grow up in the
true learning, and in the true fettlement, and fo I am
not unlearned and unftable, wrefting the fcriptures to
my own deftrudion: for I take none of the knowledge
of the fcriptures from myfelf, from my own under-
ftanding.
OF THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 295
ftanding, from my own ftudy and invention, or from
the ftudies of other expofitors, but from a certain hand.
And how can he wreft fcripture, who is kept finglc,
and has no defire to have any thing to be the meaning
of it, but what is the meaning i nor no will to know
the meaning, further than the good-will of him whofe
Spirit penned it thinks good to give forth the meaning
to him; and who waits to receive this, not to feed the
luflful knovv'ing part in himfclf, but to feed the life
with it ? And when the life hath no ufe for it, he is
content to have it fhut up, and to be without it : I fay,
how is it poflible for this man to wreft fcriptures ? But
now a man that hath taken in a body of knowledge
already, he goes to the fcripture, and bends it, to
make it fpeak anfwerable to that ; and where it fpeaks
contrary, he invents a way to make it comply, and lb
wrefls fcriptures forward and backward, to make them
fpeak agreeable to what he has already received and be-
lieved. Thus every fort of perfons, Papifts and Pro-
teftants, bend the fcriptures, to make them fpeak con-
formable to their opinions and pradlices ; not having
the true learnings which gives to read them in the true
original, where the knowledge of what they fpeak and
mean is certain : and fo they are alfo unjiabUy and
fubjed to be fhaken by a wind of reafon which is
ftronger than their own. And this wrefling of fcrip-
ture is to their own dejiru8ion\ for that part which is fo
much as defirous to bend a fcripture, is to be deftroy-
ed i and that part cannot receive the true knowledge;
but (tumbles in its own wifdom and way of feeking,
at the wifdom of God, and at the true way of finding.
But the foregoing counfel, faithfully hearkened unto,
will preferve out of this, and alfo bring to the true
means, and to the true ufe of the means, which all
nations, who have drunk of the whore's cup, have
erred concerning, and taken the falfe for the true.
The ftrength of this wine hath made all nations, peo-
ple, tongues, and languages, to mifbake i who, iri.
the heat of their drink, have cried up the means, the
means, the ordinances, the ordinances, &c. not per-
ceiving..
2^6 The AXE laid to the ROOT
ceiving how this heat came from the fpirits of the
whore's wine, and not from the fober, meek, calm,
gentle leadings of the Spirit of Chriftj and fo, in a
flefhly zeal, have fet up the whore's means, inftead of
the Lamb's means, and contend for them with the
whore's fpirit and weapons. Now it is impofllble for
any man fo much as to know the true means till the
whore's wine be purged out of him ; for that will
make him err in judgment, and take the falfe for the
true. And which way fhall he ever come to the king-
dom, who has lighted upon the wrong means? Or how
fhall he ever come to the true means, who never yet
faw the witchery of the whorifh fpirit from, the life,
and how he himfelf hath been bewitched and cozened
with the falfe, inftead of the true ? As for inftance :
Prayer; that is generally taken for a means : *' Afk,
" and it lliall be given you j feek, and ye fliall find;
" knock, and it fhall be opened to you. If parents,
" which are evil, know how to give good gifts to their
" children; how much more fhall the heavenly Father
" give the Holy Spirit to them that afk him ?" This
therefore is an undoubted thing, that prayer is a
means.
u4nf. True -, there is a prayer which is a means, and
there is a prayer which is not a m ans. There is a pray-
er which IS an ordinance, and there is a prayer which
is an invention. There is a prayer which is the breath
of the true child, and there is a prayer which is the
breath of the flefhly part, a breath of the whorifh
fpirit. There is a prayer of the firfl birth, and there
is a prayer of the fecond birth ; both which cry and
weep to God for the fame thing. Now the one of
thefe is the true means, the other not : one of them is
Chrift's ordinance, the other is antichrift's ordinance.
Now the queftion is, which of thefe thy prayer is ?
Whether it be thine own breath, or God's breath ?
Whether it come from the rencwings of the Spirit of
life, or from thine own natural part painted ? For ac-
cordingly it is either the true means, or the falfe means.
If it be the true means, it fliall have the thing; the
Spirit
OF THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 297
Spirit, the life, the kingdom it prays for: if it be the
falfe means, it can never obtain it. Papifts, they
pray; Proteftants, they pray; fome in forms, fome
without forms; fome meditating before-hand, fome
not meditating. Are all thefe the true means; or are
any of them the true means ? The birth of the true
child is the only true prayer; and he prays only in the
movingand in the leading of that Spirit that begat him:
and this is a prayer according to the will, in the life,
and from the power. But all mens prayers, according
to times they fet to themfelves, or according to form-
ings of defires in their own minds, which they offer
up to God with the nature and heart that finneth
againfl him, thefe are falfe means, and may fatisfy the
drunken fpirit erred from the life, but are no means
to the truth.
Canft thou pray ? How cameft thou to learn to pray ?
Waft thou taught from above ? Or didft thou gain the
fkill and ability by the exercife and improvement of
thine own natural part ? Didft thou begin with fighs
and groans, ftaying there till the fame Spirit that taught
thee to groan, taught thee alfo to fpeak ? Waft thoti
ever able to diftinguifli the fighs and groans of the
Spirit's begetting, from the fighs and groans of thy
own natural and affeftionate part ? And hath that part,
with all its fighings, groanings, defires, endeavours,
&c. been thruft afide, and the feed immortal raifed
by the Spirit of eternal life, which teacheth to cry and
mourn, and at length to fpeak to the Father for the
prefervation and nourifhment of his life ? If it hath
been thus with thee, then thou haft known that prayer
which is the true means ; but if othervvife, though
thou pray ever fo long, and with ever fo great affedions,
and ftrong defires, this is all buc the falfe means, with
its falfe warmth, from the falfe fire ; this is but the
means which the whorifh fpirit (which is not in union
with the life and power, but keeps the feed in bondage)
has fet up inftead of the true means. And this can
never lead to truth, but keeps alive God's enemy under
this pleafant covering. Neither is this the worfliip of
the
298 The axe laid to the ROOT
the living God : bur as it is from another fpirit, fo It is
to another fpirit.
Oh learn to be fober ! come out of this drunken
fury, and confider things mildly and ferioufly. Do
not make a great outcry of ordinances, ordinances 1
the means, the means! This is the voice of the clam-
orous woman, who with her loud noife would fain keep
you from liftening after the flill voice of true wifdom,
"which cannot be heard in the midft of this great noife
and hurry in your fpirits ; but confider which are the
true ordinances, which are the true means ; which are
the likenefles man has framed, and which is the true
thing itfelf. And if ye could once be mild, gentle,
and calm, and turn from your own wifdom and fiefhly
knowledge of things, it might pjeafe God to remove
your ftumbling-blocks, and to open that eye in you
which can fee the antichriftian nature, and difcern be-
tween the coverings which it hath formed to hide its
deceitful fpirit under, and the true garment and
clothing of life. But the feed of the kingdom is
little, and ye are great; how can ye enter into it?
The pearl lies hid in the field, and ye are gazing up
to heaven; how can ye fee it? Chrift is defcended
into the lower parts of the earth, and ye are ufing
means to afcend upwards in the wrong nature; how-
can ye meet with him ? The gofpel hath been hid ; the
fun hath not Ihined; it hath been night, and ye have
got many falfe candles ; which way can ye acknowledge
the little glimmering of the day-ftar, who have fuch
fatisfadlion in the warmth of your falfe fires? Ye are far
from the true light, who have not yet received fo much
pf it as to difcover the darknefs of the night. Ye are
too high, too wife, too knowing for Chrift, or for the
fight and acknowledgment of the true means which
lead to life. And if ye could once come to fee this,
there might be fome hope; but in that wifdom where-
in your life and knowledge ftand, ye are Ihut out ;
and ye are reafoning and Humbling at the Hone ; while
others (who are broken in fpirit, and in meeknefs and
humility led to try) find it a fure foundation, even a
founda-
OF THE OLD CORRUPT TREE. 299
foundation of eternal life, for the true feed of life; and
are built into the living city, which is made v/ithout
hands, and without any of the tools of man's wifdom.
A Brief History of the State of the Church
fince the Days oftheAposTLES, with the living
Seal to it; which he that hath eternal Life
abiding in him, can read and witnefs; but
that Wifdom, Zeal, and Devotion, which is
in the Death cannot.
AFTER the univerfal degeneration and corrupt
tion of the Jewifh (late, and the putting an end
to the (hadows thereof, by the appearance and fucceffion
of the fubftance, it pleafed God to diffolve that peo-
ple, ftate, and policy; and by the power of his life
(without either the wifdom or ftrength of man) to {et
upon the heathenifti world, which he fubdued and
brought under the power of his life. By his apoftles
and meflengers, who preached the everlafting gofpel,
the word of eternal life, he gathered aifemblies up and
down the nations, whom the nations by all their per-
fecutions could not fubjed j but they reigned over them
in the power, authority, and dominion of God : for
they were kings and priefts to God in the fight of all
the nations, and they did reign upon the earth: info-
much as the heathenifh fpirit of man obferving their
order in the Spirit, and the wifdom and power of the
Spirit among them, who by his living light was able
to fearch the hearts of thofe who came to obferve them,
could not but acknowledge that God was in them of a
truth.
Now the next thing to be expected, is Satan's oppo-
fition againft this power of life, and his ftratagems to
undermine it. He withftood the growth and fettle-
ment of the church all thit h? could by open force,
Vo L. I. A a making
300 A BRIEF HISTORY OF t«e
making ufe both of the heathenilh devout worlhippei'S,
•who fought for their Jupiter, their Diana, and other
gods and goddeffes; and of the Jewifh devout worfhip-
pers, who fought for their temple-worfliip, with the
laws and ordinances of Mofes, which were now ex-
pired. But neither of thefe would do; but the church
in the power of life gained ground upon him, and
did rather thrive and increafe, than diminifh by this
oppofition. Therefore now he falls to his ftratagems ;
he gets fome falfe brethren out of the church {they
ivent cut from us) -, thefe he clothes as angels of light,
puts the fheeps clothing on their wolvifli nature, makes
them appear as like the apoftles as may be, endues
them with an excellent taking knowledge of life and
fpirituality in appearance -, forms in them an image of
the Truth, and infpires this image with the fpirit of his
own life; and with thefe he goes forth into the world,
and gathers the world about him. Now the world was
prefently taken with this (the world went after him) ;
for this is that the world would have, an appearance of
religion, an image of Truth, but their own fpirit in it.
The worldly fpirit, that flies off' from the life, from
the power, can readily clofe with this, becaufe it is
its own. Bring forth ever lb high notions of religion
and fpiritual wifdom, the world will hug them, the
world will feed on them, the world will clothe itfelf
with them. The world can fvvallow and digeft any
thing but life; any pleafant pidure of things in heaven
will down with the world ; but the nature, the life,
the Truth, the Spirit, Chrift in his true and living
crofs, this will not down with the world.
Now the devil having thus let up his falfe image
in the world, and gathered a party after him, then he
fets upon the church, and the battle goeth very
hard, life driving to defend, and death to overcome.
How hard did the apoftles flrive in their day to keep
their converts to the fimplicity of Truth, and to the
way thereof (which even then began to be evil fpoken
of); writing epiftles to the churches, warning them
of the falfe apollles, and wilhing them to Hand their
. ground!
STATE OF THE CHURCH. 301
ground ! Yea, Chrifl himfelf writes feveral epiftles
from heaven to fome of them, checking their back-
flidings, and encouraging them to renew their zeal and
ftrength, putting them in mind of the crown which at-
tended the viftory. But at length the devil with his
ftratagems prevails, gets the poffeflion of the church's
territories, and the church is fain to fly for her prefer-
vation ; and fuch of her feed as are left behind her,
the enemy makes war againft, flays, and drinks their
blood.
Now here is an end of all the glory of that fl:ate :
now the devil hath gained the world again : the fame
fpirit that lofl it under the heathenifli power (for there
he was conquered) recovers it under an antichrifl:ian
appearance, fetting up the fame wickednefs, and the
fame courfe and current of death, under forms of an-
tichriftian religion, as he had done before under forms
of heathenifli devotion.
Thus the devil being conqueror, having gained the
field, he divides the fpoils among his army : he takes
whatever was the church's, and makes his own, and
ranks them in his way of antichriftian religion and
devotion; fo that henceforward thofe things which were
once Chrifl:'s and the church's, are now all his, and
diftributed by him among his followers. He gives
the name church to the whore v/hich he fets up; he
gives the name Chrifl:ian to his difciples; he prefcribes
baptifm and the fupper (which he calls facraments)
and praying, and preaching, and finging, which he
calls publick ordinances ; and he prefcribes private
duties and exercifes of devotion; and he gets the letter
of the fcriptures, and forms multitudes of meanings and
expofitions, and has lying figns and wonders for fucli
as need them, that he might keep all the feveral
brigades of his army quite under his pay, and might
have fome pleafing wares of traffick for every fort of
his merchants in his Babylon. For this is the city of
that king, which he built afcer his conquefl: over the
life, and which he hath enriched with the fpoils from
the life. And here all his fubjedts Ihall have contenti
A a 2 they
302 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE
they fhall have what they will, if they will but be faith-
ful to him in the main. Call for what likenefs, what in-
vention, what appearance of truth they will, they
fhall have it, fo that they will but be content without
life. No notion about the Spirit will he deny them, lb
they will be content with the notion, without the
prefence of the living Spirit. They lliall have light in
their underftandings, warmth in their afFeftions, joy,
peace, hope, comfort out of the fcriptures. They
fhall apply as many promifes to themfelves as they will,
have what they will, do what they will, fo they keep
out of the feeling of the living principle j but if once
that ftir, and there be any hearkening after that, then
he begins to lliew his tyranny, ort the one hand, to
force them back; and his Itratagems, on the other hand,
to tempt them afide from it.
The devil having thus gained the form, and enriched
himfdf with the church's fpoils, and (lain them which
had the living teflimony, then he falls to corrupting
the form : for that filthy fpirit, though he can clothe
himfelf with the form to deceive from the life, and
abide there to keep down the life j yet he does not
much love it ; he loves his own form better : and when
he is out of fear and alTaults from the life, then he re-
turns to his own form again, or patches up a garment
more fuitable to his own nature, taking in fomewhat
of the other with it, to make his own pafs the better;
for if he fhould have returned to the diredt heathenifh
forms of idolatry and falfe worfhip, he could not fo
have lain hid; therefore he makes a mixture of fome-
what which was prefcribed to the Jews, with fome
things found praftifed among the Chriflians. Thus he
brought in inventions of crofles, and images, and
beads, and pictures, and reliques, and ceremonies be-
yond number : infomuch as not only the life and
power was loft, but the true likenefs alfo; even fo loft,
that it is impolTible for all the wifdom of man to
recover the knowledge of the likenefs again. Men
have ftriven much j but they never could form a true
likenefs of the primitive church, and the way thereof.
Now
STATE OF THE CHURCH. 303
Now though it is the defire of the devil to keep men
m the groflhefs of darknefs; yet, rather than lofe
them, he will let them have fome part of the form
again: nay, he will tempt them with a gaudy appear-
ance of the form, to keep them from meeting with the
power and life, when he perceives true fecret inward
flirrings in them, which will not be quieted without
fomewhat. Thus, when there was a ftirring againft
Popery, he tempted afide into Epifcopacy : when that
would hold no longer, then to Prefbytery : when that
will not ferve, into Independency : when that will not
keep quiet, but ftill there are fearchings further, into
Anabaptifm : if that will not do, into a way of Seek-
ing and Waiting : if this will not fatisfy, they fhall
have high notions, yea, mofl pleafant notions concern-
ing the Spirit, and concerning the life, if they will
but be fatisfied without the life : yea, they Ihall have
all the liberty in the creatures they can defire (the
beft-painted liberty), if they will but be fatisfied
without that liberty which (lands not in the creatures
out of the life, but over the creatures in the life. And
he that turns afide to any of thefe, he is dill under
the dominion of that fpirit; and there he holds knowT
ledge, and there he performs his worfhip, and there
he has his unity, his liberty, his life, his relt, his
peace, his joy, his hope. Now no man can worfliip
God, till he comes out of every part of this Babylon,
and his feet touch Sion ; though there may be a fecret
panting, and an unknown fafety, and an acceptation of
the poor mourning foul in the paffage. Yea, all forts
of people, here ye were accepted in your ftirrings
after life, in hearkening to the leadings of life from
out of the Babylonifh fpirit -, but your turning afide
to the Babylonifh wifdom in a new drefs, and fitting
down in a new form of her inventing, hath brought
you to a lofs of life, and hath made you hateful to the
living God, who hath drawn his fword againft you, and
hath prepared his vials, his thunders, his plagues, his
woes : and ye muft drink of his cup with forrow, as
ye have dr^nk of the whore's cup with pleafure.
Aa 3 Ye
304 A BRIEF HISTORY of the
Ye that have found a bed of pleafure in any of your
forms, or in any of your notions, and fo have found
cafe in the whore's painting; ye muft be call into the
bed of forrow, and know the fire in God's Sion, and
the furnace in his Jerufalem j if ever ye become an
habitation for God, or expe6t to feed on his holy
mountain.
The condition of the church all this while (all this
time of Satan's reign in forms of knowledge and
worfhip) hath been very lamentable, and is exprefled
in fcripture by parables and refemblances of a fad ftate.
She hath been as a city pulled down, like a ruined
city, which needs rebuilding before fhe can come to
be a city again {when the Lord Jhall build up Sion).
She hath been as a wildernefs, barren, undrefled, unre-
garded. She hath been like a mournful widow, whofe
hufband hath been rent from her, and her children
flain. She hath loft all her ornaments, all her gar-
ments, all her ordinances, all her appearances, and
ways of life, infomuch as the ways of Sion mourn.
But Babylon, the mother of harlots, Ihe has got all
the beauty, all the glory, all the church's attire, all
the church's ordinances, and all the trade and traffick
runs thither, and fhe is cried up for the true church;
and if any dare fpeak a word againft her, and for the
true church indeed, they are exclaimed againft for
fchifmaticks and hereticks, and war prepared againft
them, and fome or other of the beaft's horns puiliing
at them. Thus it has gone all the time of the apoftafy i
the whore has flouriftied with the name of the church,
making great merchandize of fouls, felling their for-
mal ftuit for money; and abundance of children hath
the whore brought forth, and nourifhed with her milk
of deceit; but the true woman, the Lamb's wife, with
her feed, and the living food from her living breafts,
have had no place on the earth.
But this ftate of things is ended in part, and
ending apace. The Lord God of life is arifen out of
his holy habitation to affault the dragon, to difcover
and ftrip the whore, to recover a pafTeiTion for his life
in
STATE OF THE CHURCH. 305
in the earth, to make room in the world for his church,
which he is bringing out of the wildernefs. The
battle is begun ; the territories of antichrift are af-
faultedj the Lamb hath appeared on his white horfe,
and hath gathered many of his called, faithful, and
chofen about him ; the enfign is lifted up; the light
(which fearcheth the inwards of the enemy's dominions)
hath appeared, and his inmoft povver and wifdom is not
feared i but the Lord God is feared, and the dragon's
arm withers, and the head of his policy (whereby he
enfnared and entangled from the life) is crufhing.
Glory to the endlefs power of life, for ever and for
ever !
Be wife now therefore, and lofe not your Iharc in the
immortal crown. Take heed how ye be found fighters
againfl the Lamb, in the wifdom and power of Babylon,
which is to fall. Painting will not pafs now : that
blood of the Lareib is felt, which wafhes off the
whore*s paint j even all her painted notions of the
blood of Chrift, and of fanftification and redemption,
&c. the whorifh nature being difcovered underneath
all thefe. Ye have got the name of church, the name
of Chriftians, the name of ordinances, &c. by the
whore's help ; but the nature of life ye want : and
the living power is come to recover the name from you;
and we, his living witnefTes, teftify to your faces, that
ye Ihall not enjoy it ; but the name and the thing fhall
go together J and he that hath not the thing, fhall
glfo lofe the name. Yea, your eyes Ihall fee that ye
have been the facrilegious ones, who have ftolen holy
pames ^nd titles, which ye never received from the
hand of Godj but the whorifh fpirit (which is out of
the life, and an enemy to the life) hath handed them
to you. And this is told you in dear and tender love,
that ye might not perifli, but have eternal life abiding
in your hearts, and the new name written by the Spirit
of life on your foreheads, which all that know the
writing of the life, may be able to read and ac-
knowledge.
A a 4 There
3o6 A BRIEF HISTORY 6f THE
There are feveral touches of thefe things in divers
of the epiftles of the apoftles : but the full relation is
given forth in that book of the Revelations, which was
penned by the Spirit of God, to be read in the light of
the Spirit, and fo to be a prefervative againft the over-
jforeading contagion of Antichriftianifm. And it is
laid, at the entrance into it, " Blefled is he that read-
" eth, and they that hear the wbrds of this prophecy,
*' and keep thofe things which are written therein,"
But men having loft the Spirit, have not been able to
read it ; and having loft the right ear, they have not
been able to hear the words it fpeaks : and how then
could they keep the things written therein ? He that
doth not underftand what he is warned againft, how is
it likely he fliould be preferred by the warning ? The
Spirit of God judged this warning neceflary, but
the fpirit of deceit cries, it is a deep thing, not to be
meddled with. Now this is a plain demonftration,
that men generally are overtaken with the whoredom,
and drink of the whore's cup, and fubmit themfelves
to the beaft, and exalt his horns, and receive his mark,
and fome or other of his names j becaufe they have not
the knowledge of that which difcovers thefe things,
and was given by the Spirit of God to forewarn, and
fo to preferve out of them. He that knoweth not the
myftery of iniquity working under a form of godlinefs,
may not he eafily be deceived with the myftery of ini»
quity ? He that knoweth not what is become of the
true church and miniftry, and where to look for them,
may nor he eafily own afalfe church and miniftry ? He
that knoweth not the Spirit of the fcriptures, which
the church carried with her, when ftie left the letter
behind her, may not he eafily fet up the letter for his
rule ? He that knoweth not the living mark and name
of a Chriftian, with which the Spirit of life feals all
the lambs of Chrift in the life, may not he eafily give
this name to himfelf, and to others who have not this
mark, but the beaft's mark? He that knoweth not the
true faith, the true love, the true hope, the true joy,
the true peace, the true reft, the true confolation in
Chrift
STATE OF THE CHURCH. 307
Chrift the life (the true meeknefs and patience of the
faints, &c.) may not he eafily fet up fliadows or
likenelTes of thefe (which he gathers from the letter of
the fcriptures and the promiies thereof, receiving the
knowledge of them into the wrong parr, and apply,
ing them to the wrong thing) inftead of thefe ? Ah,
poor hearts ! the book of the Revelation is eafy to that
Spirit that wrote it: and it was not given forth to be
laid by as ufelefs; but to be ferviceable in the hand
of the Spirit, for the ages after the days of the apoftles;
and in the true light it is eafily read : and they that can
read it, can fee that in it, which they that cannot read
ir, cannot believe. And this is plainly fecn ; that
there is but the Spirit of truth, and the fpirit of
deceit : but the Lamb's wife, and the whore (which
hath whored from the Spirit, which hath made ufe of
the letter, to run a whoring from that Spirit that
wrote it) : that there is but the true church and the
falfe church; but life and death 3 but form and power;
but Chrill the myftery of godlinefs, and antichrift the
myftery of iniquity; but God and the dragon; God
in the church or temple in the wildernefs, and the
dragon in the world's churches and temples, appearing
there as if he were God, giving forth laws and ordi-
nances like God J and all the world falls down before
him, and worfhips him as if he were God ; and hopes
by this worfliip which they perform to him, and by
their faith and hope which they receive from him, to
be faved at laft. I fay there are but thefe two : and
he that is joined to the one of thefe, is not joined to
the other. Let him that readeth underftand ; which
he may eafily do by the wifdom of the Spirit, but
never can by the wifdom of the letter. For though
we know how to join thefe two in the life, yet there is
a neceffity of feparating them at prefent, till the letter
be gained out of the hands of the v/horifli fpirit, which
hath built up feveral forms of knowledge, religion, and
worlhip in Myftery Babylon, by the letter without the
Jifcj all which mult fail with Babylon,
An
[ 3o8 ]
An EXHORTATION,
Relating to the Workings of the Myftery of
Iniquity, and the Myflery of Godliness
in this prefent AGE.
ALL people upon earth who love your fouls, and
have any true fecret pantings after God, look
to the nature of your fpirits, and look to the nature
of thofe things ye let into your minds j left ye take
death for life, error for truth, and fo fow to yourfelves
corruption, and rear up a fabrick in Myftery Babylon,
which will be turned into defolation and utter ruins,
by the power of life from Sion.
Strong is the fpirit of deceit that is entered into the
world, and glorious and very taking are his images
and likenefles of truth ; which will deceive all but
the very Eleft, who were chofen from the foundation
of the world, and whofe eyes are open to fee the
foundation of life, which was before the foundation
of the world.
It hath been an heavy dull time for many ages : there
have only been witneffes hitherto raifed againit anti-
chrift, and he hath found it an eafy matter to knock
them down, and keep up his ways of profanenefs,
and of formal fuperititious kinds of devotion, up and
down all the nations. But now it is a quick time;
the Spirit of the Lord God hath arifen, the fearching
eye is opened, the purfuit after the very fpirit of an-
tichrift is begun j yea, very quick and frefh is the
fcent of that Spirit which hunteth the whore ; and
now file goes forward and backward, traverfes her
ground, changes her paint and colours often, fiiifts
her garment continually, and ufes all the art fhe can
to fave her life. Now.the king of Babylon opens his
tre^fury, brings forth all his likenelfes, all his images,
all
An exhortation, &c. 309
all appearances J with Tome or other of them (if it be
pofTible) to tempt the fimple foul, and keep it iatis-
lied therewith, in fome of his chambers of darknefs and
imagery, out of tlie life and power.
Therefore now be warned and look about you, and
be not cozened with any of the wares of Babylon,
where the merchandize and trafFick is for fouls, and
where all the wares of deceit are, which are proper to
cozen fouls: but feek for the nature of that thing,
which the inward pantings of your heart at any time
have been after; and wait for the opening of that eye,
which can fee, through all manner of paint, to that
nature ; and keep low in the life, fimple and honefl-
hearted, and then gaudy appearances will not take
■with you ; for they are only temptations to the afpirino-
part, which is lifted up above the pure, lov/, humble
principle : and if that part were brought down, ye
would be fafci but while that ftands, ye will not be
out of the danger of temptations. Now this know;
There is nothing whereof Sion is built, but the
likenefs of it is in Babylon ; and the likenefs is very-
taking, even more taking to that eye which is open in
men, than the truth itfelf. The truth is a plain
fimple thing; it is not gaudy in appearance; its ex-
cellency lies in its nature : but the appearances of
truth, which Satan paints, are very gaudy, very glori-
ous, feemingly very fpiritual, very pure, very precious,
very fweet; they many times even ravifh that un-
derftanding, and thofe afFeftions that are out of the
life. Oh! what fliall I lay! Shall I fpeak a little of
the wares of Babylon ? Where is there an ear which can
hear me ? Yet he that opens my mouth, can open thine
ear : therefore let me fpeak a little plainly.
I. There are many glorious falfe births m Babylon.
There is no inheriting the kingdom, but by being
born again. This doftrine the king of Babylon
preacheth ; he is fain to do fo, elfe the letter of the
Icripture would overthrow his kingdom. Now, there-
fore, to keep from the true new-birth, he hath his
images of the new- birth, his fcveral falfe-births.
A great
310
An exhortation to
A great while outward baptifm, and a formal know-
ledge, was enough to make a man aChriftian; but
now, fince that is difcovered, and will not do, he
brings forth better births ; he hath inward changes of
the mind (multitudes of them) fit for every one who
is feeking after the life, to be tempted from the life
withi and he tempts every one with a proper bait,
with that which is taking to him in his prefent eftate.
What changes any kind of knowledge by virtue of
the notion (with the devil's quickening power added to
it) can produce in any man, the devil can transform
man into. Yea, many are thefe changes; and he
that doth not kjiow the nature of the true birth, may
cafily be deceived with that, which isjuft like the thing
he looks for. A man looks for a new birth, for an in-
ward change: he looks for a knowledge to change him;
he fhall have juft the very likenefs of that which his
heart defires, the lively likenefs ; the devil is ready at
hand to furnifh him with it: which way can the man,
who never faw the true thing, efpy the cheat ?
a. There are many glorious defires in Babylon, many
pantings, many breathings after that which this birth
of Babylon takes to be life. The devil hath thefe
wares, thefe images in his (hop too j as he hath a falfe
birth in imitation of the true, fo he hath falfe breath-
ings for his falfe birth. If his child could not feem-
ingly breathe towards God (as if he were a natural
child of God) he would foon be deteded ; therefore
he inflames him with defires of growth, with defires of
enjoyment, of that which he calls life, with feeming
deiiies of ferving and glorifying Godj and here come
in the prayers of the flefhly birth, which are many
times carried On with exceeding great earneflnefs of
the flefhly part, to which alfo the father of this birth
gives anfwers. And now which way can deceit be fo
much as fufpeded here? And yet here alfo the deceiver
lodgeth, and herein he worketh, raifingftrong defires in
that part wherein he dwells, that he may allay thofe
pure defires, which otherwife would be arifing from
the life underneath, and which (notwithftanding all this)
fometimes
THE PRESENT AGE. 311
fometimes do arife, efpecially when the foul is in
anguifh.
3. There is falfe food in Babylon, falfe knowledge
to feed this wrong nature with ; there is knowledge^
faljely Jo called* Tliere are feveral appearances of all
the truths in Sion. There is outward knowledge of
the letter, and there is inward myftical knowledge;
and each of thefe have their warmth, and their frefh-
nefs, and do nourilhup this child, and caufe it to grow.
Yea, what knowledge and experience (which at firft
fprang from the true life) this fpirit makes a prey of,
and daily brings into his Babylon, therewith to feed and
fatten that which is born of him, and to cover the
old deceitful nature under, which is not flain thereby,
but daily lives, and moves, and puts forth itfelf ; this
is certainly felt by that which is made fenfible in the
life, but hard to be fpoken, becaufe the deceived heart
isfo grofs, and the ear fo heavy. Now here the painted
whore, which hath dealt treacheroufly with the life,
fits as a queen, and fays fhe fhall fee no forrow : this
knowledge is certain to her, thefe experiences fhe hath
had the feeling of, and knows they can never be
fhaken. But O thou princefs of Babylon! the Lord
will ftrip thee, the Lord will unbare thy inwards, and
thine own eyes fhall fee thy nakednefs, which fhall be
for a perpetual reproach among all the inhabitants of
Sion: and then thy dark deceitful fpirit fhall have no
more to fay againfl thofe, who now fee through thy
covering, to thy nature, in the light; and judge thee,
not of themfelves, nor in their own wills and under-
ftandings, but from the true power, and in the true
guidance of the life, whole work it is to purfue, over-
take, and judge death, even to death. For all this
knowledge, all thefe experiences in thee (though thou
feeft it not, nor canft fee it with that eye wherewith
thou lookeft to fee), are held captive by that which
tranfgrefTed, and hath erred from the life, and are made
life of to keep thy foul in bands : and as they are thus
held, death and the curfe mufl overtake them, ere that
life in thee, from which they firll fprang, can pofTibly
arife.
312 An exhortation to
arife. Graft not after the knowledge of this in the
underftanding part, but wait for the fenfe of it from
that life which lies flain underneath thefe, and by that
part which exalts thefe.
4. There are falfe keys to open the feveral chambers
of imagery in Babylon. This food man cannot gather
of himfelf, it mufl be given to him : this knowledge
man cannot get into by himfelf, but as this fpirit leads
him, and opens to him ; for he hath the keys of
death, and opens into the treafures of death. Now
this hugely confirms a man in the deceit, without the
lead fufpicion of it. Why, faith he, I had not this
knowledge from myfelf, 1 came not to it by mine
own fkili or underftanding, but it was given me, it
was opened to me ; and it came in freih, and warmed
in my heart, begetting fweet and pure defires in me,
and hath made me eye the glory of God, and not my-
felf. Yea, it might come thus in the likenefs, and
work the likenefs of this in theej and yet itfelf not be
truth, nor be able to work the truth of this in thee;
and this is proper to deceive thy very heart, and make
thee a pleafant inhabitant of Babylon, and a joyful
worlhipper of the king thereof, whom, through this
deep deceit, and moft fubtil falfe appearance in thy
heart, thou miftakeft for the King of Sion.
5. This falfe fpirit hath his falfe crofles, his falfe
combats and fightings. The very Papifts have not
only their wooden and ftone crofies, but they have
alfo their ways of felf-denial, their ways of croffing
the natural part, of refignation to the Divine Will
(as they call it), of fighting againft corruption, &c.
It is manifefl: that a man muft deny himfelf, or elfe
he cannot be a Chriftian (his own will muft not,
cannot live, if he truly give himfelf up to Chrift) ;
therefore that fpirit, which lieth lurking to deceive,
hath feveral ways of felf-denial to teach (all which
muft have fome hardnefs in them to the natural part,
or elfe they could not pafs) ; and thefe may produce
great and conftant conflidling in the flefli, and yet
the fleftily nature be ftill kept alive under all thefe
confli(fls
THE PRESENT AGE. 313
conflicts and exercifes of felf-denial. He hath a cir-
cumcifing-knife, which cuts off a great deal, but
always fpares the nature; and as long as the nature is
fpared, the devil dill hath that wherein he can dwell.
6. He hath his falfe love to God and man, and his
falfe zeal for God. Love and zeal are two diftinguifh-
ing things. All nnen conclude that love determines a
man to be a Chriftian, and fo they take up fome ap-
pearance or other of love ; fomewhat that fatisfies
themfelves that their love is right, both to God and
man. The very Papifts, who are full of blood and
cruelty, yet pretend to love ; they have an image of
love which contents them. But there are far hio;her
images, even images of univerfal love and fweetnefs,
which no eye can perceive, but that which knows the
truth. And take one word from me, ye to whom it
belongs ; all ye that cry up univerfal love from the
fweet fenfe of its image, ye fhall one day know, that
one adl of particular love from the true nature, ex-
ceeds this in its utmoft extent.
7. He hath his falfe life. The devil hath not only
a dead formal religion, but he hath a refemblance,
an imitation of the quickenings of the fpirit. The
devil puts his life into his image, where need requires.
He hath not only a dead literal knowledge, but he
hath paintings of the life ; he draws a thing to the
life J he makes his dead image of truth as like the
living fubftance of truth as pofTibly he can -, info-
much as his images of life, at a diftance, \vithout be-
ing beheld in the true life, cannot but be taken for
living. Now here is the depth of deceit, when the
devil's images of life in the heart are taken for the
living thing, for the life itfelf.
8. He hath his falfe liberty. There is a glorious
liberty in the Gofpel : there is a perfeft freedom in
the fervice of the life ; there is a liberty in the power
of the life overall the creatures. God made all thinos
for man, and he denies him nothing-, he being ^n,
fubjeclion to him in the life, and ufing all in the
dominion of the life. Now the devil paints a liberty
like
514 An EXHORTATION to
like this ; yea, a liberty that feems greater than this,
even a liberty wherein the flefhly part (whofe very na-
ture is eternally fhut out of the nature of true liber-
ty) hath fcope ; which liberty is not furrounded, nor
cannot be furrounded by the power of life, as this is ;
and in this painted liberty, that fpirit which painted
it lives J which paint the true liberty takes off, flaying
that which calls it liberty, and gathering in the name
of liberty from this falfe appearance, to that which is
liberty indeed. And by the way, he that can read
this, let him. The perfe6lion of the true liberty lies
in the perfedion of bonds, in the perfe6l binding
down of that which is out of the life -, for the true
liberty is the liberty of the life, and of nothing elfcj
and when all that is contrary to the life is perfedtly
bound down, then the life hath its full fcope, without
the lead controul of the fleflily part ; and when the
life lives, then that which is joined to the life lives
alfo.
Now here is the myftery of iniquity ; here is the
inward kingdom of darknefs -, here is the glory of Ba-
bylon ! Here is he that contends for the kingdom, for
the inheritance ! Here the fon of the bond-woman
(thus drefied, thus furnilhed, thus filled within and
without) will have it go for granted that he is the
right heir : and yet all this while wants the nature of
that which is to inherit, and cannot poflibly receive
that nature into himfelf, but only fuch images afore-
mentioned. And if, in tender love to his foul, from
a clear fight of this thing, we warn him, and bid him
look about, he cries. Do not judge. He really think$
he is right in the main, and he feems willing to refer
it to the day of trial. Ah, poor heart ! the eye is
opened which can fee; that which hath judged the de-
ceit in us, can alfo judge the deceit in thee. Cannot
the fpiritual eye fee things in its kind ? To what end
hath God given it ? Canft thou fee and judge natural
things in the natural part ? So can they fee and judge
fpiritual things who are in the light, and who live in
the life > yea, we Ihall continue judging thee in the
fear.
THE PR ESENT AGE. 315
fear, and in the humility, till God open that in thee^
which can feal to our judgment.
Objeft. How difficult do you make the way to lifcy if
710 1 utterly impojfible ? If all this be truej Who can be
favedl
Anjw. The way to life is very difficult; yea, and
impoflible to that part in man, which is fo bufy in
willing and running towards life; but it is as eafy on
tJie other hand, to that which the Father begetteth,
raifeth up, and leadeth. " The wayfaring man (though
" a fool) fhall not err." The wifeft and richeft mer-
chants in Babylon cannot fet one ftep in it ; the lead
child in Sion cannot err there. Therefore know that
in thyfelf to which it is fo hardj and know that which
God hath given to thee, whic^h will make it eafy.
Thou haft a living talent given thee by God ;
let not thine eye be drawn from that; but join to that,
keep there, and thou art fafe ; and that will open thine
eye to fee all deceits, juft in the very feafon and hour
of temptation. For thou mull expeft to meet with
all thefe temptations, as thy growth makes thee capa-
ble of receiving them. And as they come, the true
eye being kept open, they will be feeji ; and being
feen they will eafily be avoided in the power of life j
for in vain the net is fpread in fight of the bird.
Therefore that thou mayft be fafe ;
1. Know the light, the eternal light of life, the
little glimmerings and fliinings of it in thy foul.
This comes from the rock, to lead thee to the rock :
and if thou wilt follow it, it will fix thee upon the
rock where thou canft not be fliaken.
2. Keep in the light, keep within the hedge, flep
not out of thine ov/n ; keep out of the circumference
of the fpirit of deceit; the power of whofe witchery
and forcery extends all over the regions of darknefs.
3. Love fimplicity, love the nakednefs of life,
fland fingle in the honefty of the heart, out of ^he in-
tricate fubtil reafonings, and wife confultings about
things; for by thefe means the ferpent comes to twine
about and deceive thy foul; but in the fimplicity of
: Vot. I, B b the
3i6 An exhortation, &c.
the movings of life, in the light lies the power, the
ftrength, the lafety.
4. Lie very low continually, even at the foot of
the loweft breathing and appearances of the light.
Take heed of being above that wherein the life lies ;
for the wifdom, the power, the ftrength, yea, the
great glory lies in the humility ; and thou muft never
be exalted, thou mufl never come out of the humi-
lity, but find and enjoy the honour and glory of the
life in the humility.
5, Mind the reproofs of the light; for that will
ftill be fetting thee to rights. That will ftill be
bringing down that which would get up above; and
there lies the prefervation. Oh the chaftenings of the
light, the fweet chaftenings of the love by the light!
Thefe are healing ftripes. This brings down the
exalter, and that in thee which loves to be exalted,
and to be feeking the honour of the fpiritual riches,
before the humility is perfeded.
Thus, in love to fouls, have I poured out my foul
before the Lord, and held forth gentle leadings, even
to the moft ftubborn and ftifF-necked,
A BRIEF
[ 317 ]
BRIEF ACCOUNT
O F S O M E
REASONS
(Amongft many that might be given)
Why thofe People called Quakers cannot do
fome Things on the one hand, and forbear
doing of fome Things on the other hand ;
for which they have fuSered, and do ftill fufFer,
fo much Violence from the People, and fuch
fore Perfecution from the Teachers and Magif-
trates of thefe Nations. Whereby it may ap-
pear to all, who are willing to take any fair
Confideration of their Caufe, that their Suf-
ferings are for Righteoufnefs Sake, becaufe of
the Integrity of their Hearts towards God, and
void of any jufl Ground of Oifence towards
Man.
This account was drawn up thus brief, for their fakes
who want either time or patience to confider of it
more at large -, and anfwers to the heads of their fuf-
ferings, in a particular declaration to the Parlia-
ment.
i.TTrHJ* we go into meeting-places, or markets, or
V V other -where, to tejiify to the truth, and againji
deceit.
B b 2 Reafon*
3i8 A BRIEF ACCOUNT, &c.
Reafon. Becaufe v/e are moved of the Lord fo to
do. We are his ; and where he bids us witnefs for
him, and againft deceivers and their deceit, we mufl
do it: woe unto us (from the Lord) if we do it not.
If any man do any fuch thing in his own will, we
-witnefs againft him, and the Lord will require it of
him. Now this is no more than the apoftles and fer-
vants of the Lord have done, as it is recorded in
fcripture.
2. IFhy we cannot fay tithes.
Reaf. Becaufe tithes were not a maintenance ap-
pointed by Chrift for his minifters, but were fet up
by the Pope (as the maintenance of his minifters)
fince the days of the apoftles. And this maintenance
by tithes, Wickliff and others bore a teftimony a-
gainft, and divers of the martyrs in queen Mary's
days fuffered for ; as by the articles charged againft
them, and the teftimony that they held forth, may
appear.
3. JVhy we meet together on the Firjl-days of the Week,
and at other times.
ReaJ. Becaufe we find the Lord drawing of us, and
his prefence among us in our meetings, and receive
refreftiings to our fouls thereby.
4. Why we cannot fwear.
Reaf. Becaufe Chrift our Lord (who is greater than
Mofes, who gave the law about fwearing) hath faid,
*^ Swear not at all;" and his apoftle (who abode in his
do£trine) faith, " Above all things, my brethren,
" fwear not; neither by heaven, neither by the earth,
*^ neither by any other oath." Now mark the drift of
Chrift, which is not only to forbid profane and un-
lawful oaths (for if that were all, Chrift had fpoken
nothing further nor fuller than Mofes had done ; which
is contrary to all the inftances of the like kind, where-
by he ftraitens all that had been faid by Mofes of old
time), but all fwearing, without exception, as may
further appear by the inftance immediately foregoing,
in the cafe of divorce, where he exprefleth an excep*
tion in thefe words, " Saving for the caufe of forni-
« cation;"
A BRIEF ACCOUNT, &c. 319
" cation :" but here is no exception added by Chrifl 5
and the putting in of an exception by nnan's wifdom,
deltroyeth Chrifl's words, making his command no
ftraiter than the law of Mofes, which forbad all pro-
fane and unlawful fwearing, Levit. xix. 12.
5. IFhy we cannot put off our hats to men.
Reaf. Becaufe it lifts up that in man which God
will deftroy. It is fuitable to that nature which is of
the earth, and feeds it. It is pleafing to the flelh;
and that which is an enemy to the flefh, cannot give
it that which feeds and pleafeth it. If we fhould
pleafe men, we could not be the fervants of Chrift.
This is the true ground whereupon we cannot do it %
and not in contempt to authority, or any man's per-
fon. Neither can we refpeCl mens perfons ; for in fo
doing we fhould commit fin, as faith the apoftle.
And let men confider what it is in them that cannot
bear with itj it being done in fimplicity of heart upon
this account.
6. Why we cannot jujily he looked upon as vagrants or
Jiurdy beggars.
Reaf. Becaufe we beg not, nor pafs up and down
in any idle way ; but either about our civil employ-
ments and occafions, or about the work of our God j
nor are any way burthenfome to the nation. If to be
from our dwellings about the work of our God, be
accounted the breach of a law, would not the fame
law have taken hold on Chrift and his apoftlcs, if ic
had been in their days ?
7. fVhy we viftt friends in prijon.
Reaf. Becaufe they being imprifoned for their obe-
dience to Chrift, what we do to them, we do to him j
and we are afraid, left he ftiould fay to us at the great
day ; " I was fick and in prifon, and ye vificed me
" not." Now they that are fo far from doing this
themfelves, that they punifti others for doing it, when
God ftiall call them to account, what will they an-
fwer ?
8. JVhy we cannot contribute towards the repairing of
the Jleeple-hoiifes, or pay clerks wages,
B b 3 Reaf.
320 A BRIEF ACCOUNT, &c.
Reaf. Becaufe they are places which were ere6led
for popijh and idolatrous worjhip j and where a worfhip
not differing in its nature and ground (but only \x\
form) is continued in this day j and the root fropri
whence all this idolatry grew, is not fo much as dif-
covered, much lefs purged out of thefe dominions,
by them who formerly declared againft it in words.
Now as we will anfwer it to God, we are to give no
countenance or furtherance to idolatry. And for clerks,
they were officers invented by the falfe church (fince
the apoftafy), never appointed by Chrift in his church,
and fuch we dare not help to maintain. Was it not
folemnly covenanted with the Lord againft fuperfti-
tion, for the plucking up of epifcopacy root and
branch ? And muft not thofe that are faithful to the
Lord perform their covenant, though to their hurt ?
Now any man that fliall in the fear of the Lord read
this, may fee that thefe things bear a weight upon our
hearts; and what we do herein, we do for confcience-
fake, in obedience to the Lord ; and not out of ftub-
bornnefs, or rebellion (as by fome we are charged),
nor out of any delight that we have to difturb or dif-
quiet others; but fingly to the Lord, that we may
itand clear in his fight. We know whom we obey
therein, and are fure we do that which is pleafing to
him. Therefore let men take heed how they perfecute
us, left they be found fighters againft him who will be
too ftrong for them. For thefe many ages, fince the
days of the apoftles, deceit hath got up, antichrift
hath fat in the temple, the true worftiippers have been
imprifoned and martyred. The Lord will avenge the
fufferings and blood of his faints, and in due time
•will plead their caufe againft the opprefix>rs, on whom
his hand will then fall heavy, and the rocks and the
mountains fliall not be able to hide them from the
prefence of the Lamb ; and that day who will be able
to abide ? Though now men put it far from therxi.
Some
[ 321 ]
SOME
CONSIDERATIONS
Propofed to the City of London, and the Nation
of England, to calm their Spirits, and
prepare them to wait for what the Lord is
bringing about, that they may not run headily
into their Ruin and Defhrudion^ and, by this
extraordinary Heat of their Spirits, kindle that
Fire which will foon devour them.
With a fliort Exhortation to them relating to their
true Settlement, and the Removal of that which
hinders it.
I. / I A HE Lord God Almighty, who made heaven
J_ and earth ; who upholds them by the word
of his power; whofe they are, with all their inhabi-
tants; he ruleth in the kingdoms of men ; eltablifli-
ing or overturning laws, governments, and governors
at his pleafure, Pfal. Ixxv. 5. dec. Dan. iv. 25,
iii. 5.
2. That the Lord hath had an efpecial hand in the
fhakings and changes of this nation j and hath fome
great things to bring about, which he ordereth all
unto. And though many of the tranfaftions and paf-
fages (as relating to men) have been very blamable ;
yet the Lord hath been juft and good in them all;
and can, in his own good time, recover the ground
which he hath feemed to lofe, and advance both the
good of his people, and of the nation, by all their
luffcringa, lolles, difcouragements, and difadvantages.
B b 4 3. In
322 Some CONSIDERATIONS, &c.
3. In this late revolution, there may be more of
God than man is aware of. God, in his infinite wif-
dom, might fee that this parliament was not fit for
work, and fo might fuffer fuch a thing to fall out be-
tween them and the army (heightening their fpirits on
both fides) as might occafion the removal of them out
of the way. Yea, and this prefent change may be but
a pafl^age to another, unlefs the Lord find thefe very
faithful and diligent in his fervice, and not minding
themfelves and their own interefls.
4. If this late revolution was of God, and he faw
it good to bring it about, for the further carrying on
of his work, he will be able to maintain it ; and thofe
that oppofe him therein fhall not be able to ftand be-
fore him. They may bring ruin upon the nation and
themfelves ; but they cannot fet up what God throvy^s
down, nor raife up any thing elfe in the ftead of it,
according to their wills ; but that which he, by his
providence and difpofing hand, appointed to fucceed,
mull have the time of trial which he allotteth it.
Therefore let men fear the Lord God, whofe eye is
upon us, and whofe power is over usj and let us take
heed of being found fighters againfl: him. The caufe
hath long lain a bleeding; yet there is at length a true
reviving of it : and thofe whofe hearts the Lord hath
ftirred up to feek it faithfully, the Lord will be with
them, and he is ready to pardon their former mifcar-
riages. But oh ! that they could lay themfelves low,
and forget their own interefhs, that the caufe might
rife up clear and manifefl above them ! Remember
this faying, O ye great-ones! the Lord did not throw
down the former greatnefs of the nobility for you to
rife up in their places ; but ye fliould have lain low,
and remained little, and have let the Lord been great;
and it is your true interefl to defcend and become
little again. And if it were once manifefl that ye did
not feek yourfelves, but the caufe of God, the good
of his people, and of the nation, that every part and
fort of men might feel their opprefiions broken, and
their juft rights and liberties recovered and preferv-
ed
Some CONSIDERATIONS, &c. 323
cd for them ; this would draw the hearts of all the
honeft-hearted people to you as one man j and thofe
which have been fcattered, would be again united ;
and our very enemies (feeing our integrity, and right-
eoufnefs, and true reformation by the wifdom and
guidance of God), would magnify that work of God,
which, as yet, cannot but be a reproach.
Therefore, O England f fear before the Lord, and
wait upon him : and let thine eye be taken off from
man ; for he is very vanity. Neither thy good nor
thy harm arifeth this way i but out of thine own bow-
els. What have all thefe afflidlions done towards the
refining thee ? Art thou not yet what thou waft ? O
England ! wilt thou not be made clean ? When fliall
it once be ? Murmur not againft the rods wherewith
the Lord feeth good to chaftife thee -, but mourn over
thy wickednefs, thy pride, thy deceit, thy excefs, thy
cruelty, thy oppreffion, thy falfe worfhip, and idola-
tries, &c. and over thy enmity againft; that which is
of God, where-ever it appears.
At the beginning of thefe troubles thou couldfl: bear
with no form of worfliip, but thine own. Now thou
art come thus far, that thou canft almoft bear with
any form. Nay, but that will not ferve 3 the Lord
will have room for the power of godlinefs, and he will
not always fufFer thee to fmite his fervants for their
obedience to his fpirit. This is his controverfy with
thee, and the caufe of all thy mifery : when mifery,
diftrefs, and ruin have opened thine eyes, thou wilt
fee it. Oh ! that thy day of calamity might pafs over
thee ! if thou couldft indeed humble thyfelf before the
Lord, and not walk any longer thus contrary to him,
in the work which he is refolved to bring about, the
Lord might pity and fpare thee j for he delighteth in
mercy : but if thou continueft to walk contrary to him,
and wilt be fettled afore his time, and in a way, and
by fuch means, as he approves not, the fteps of his
power againft thee will overturn thee. Therefore fear,
and be humble and meek before him ; for therein lies
the wifdom which can preferve thee : but drive not
to
324 Some CONSIDERATIONS, &c.
to withftand his foot-fleps, left he trample down thy
crown, thy ftrength, thy hopes, thy peace, and ail
that is defirable in thine eyeg.
This is in tender love, as a gentle warning to you,
that you may take heed of giving way to that
fierce fpirit, which is the fore-runner of mifery
and defolation j
From him who is a dear lover of this city, and
of his native country,
ISAAC PENINGTON the Younger.
SOME
CONSIDERATIONS
Pfopofed to the diftradted Nation of England,
concerning the prefent Defign and Work of
God therein j upon their fubmitting whereto
doth their Settlement alone depend, and not
upon any Form of Government, or Change
of Governors, as that Spirit which feeketh
their Ruin tempteth them to believe.
I. fTT^HAT God, in great mercy, broke the bondi
J|[ of the Romilh yoke, which lay hard upon
the neck of this nation, and was very weighty upon
thofe confciences wherein the true reforming light did
arife in any meafure; and who were in any meafure
true to that light which the Lord caufed to break ia
upon them.
2, That
Some CONSIDERATIONS, &c. 325
2. That the reformation out of Popery was not pre-
fently perfeifted (nay, was never yet perfe^fled), but
was very weak and low, many things therein favour-
ing very much of Popery (the nation being hardly able
to bear at that time what was done) j fo that there
were many things ftill continuing, which could not
but be burdenfome to the upright-hearted, and to the
tender confciences, as the light which began their
reformation did grow and increafe in them.
3. That the Lord God (who in fuch great mercy-
had delivered this nation from the yoke of Popery)
could not but expert that the reformation lliould grow
and increafe until it were perfeded ; even until noth-
ing were left which arofe from that fpirit from whence
Popery fprang, and which might (in its proper ten-
dency) be ferviceable to that fpirit j but that all his
people in this nation, might have free liberty at leaft
(if not encouragement) to return to the pure woriliip
of him in fpirit and in truth ; even as in the days of
the apoflles, before the apoflafy from the fpirit and
from the truth.
4. That the reformation out of Popery was not
purfued as the Lord expeded it fhould ; but a dark
way of worfhip eftabliihed in the landj and a dark
church-government (both like that of Rome); where-
by thofe that were truly confcientious, and in whom
the reforming light did further and further arife, were
reproached, nick-named, hated, perfecuted, &c. info-
much that there was a bar fet up againft the proceed-
ing of the reformation any further, and a formal way
of church-government and worfliip ereded; which
was pleafing to the loofe and carnal fpirit ; but fharp,
cruel, and burdenfome to the ilrider fort, and to fuch
as were tender-hearted toward God.
5. That under this church-government and way of
wordiip there was a going backwards towards Popery
again, inltead of going further from it. Things grew
every day worfe and worfe ; ceremonies daily abound-
ing, and were more and more ftrictljy injoinedj wear-
ing of furplices, bowing at the name of Jefus, railing;
off
325 Some CONSIDERATIONS, &c.
off the communion-tables, and making fteps up to
them ; calling them high altars (bowing thrice at their
approach to them) having corporafles over their bread,
faying fecond fervice, &c. And the chief end of
their vifitations was to eftablifh fuch things as thefe ;
and to fupprefs ledlurers, and confcientious preachers
(among whom fome frefh life did fpring up, for the
relief of the needy and defolate) ; and to curtail
preaching (and praying before and after fermons) ;
yea, and catechizing too, which by authority was ap-
pointed in the place of the afternoon-fermons, when
they found it exceed the limits they intended. And
this proceeded fo far, that there was very little differ-
ence between us and the Papifts, fave only the name;
the worfhip in both becoming dead, and formal,
and pleafmg to the fleflily part, but empty of that
-which fhould feed and refredi the fpirir. Only the
Lord hath referved to himfelf a remnant, who could
not bow to thefe things ; but groaned under them,
and witneflfed againft them, mourning bitterly to the
Lord under the load and weight of them.
6. That when the wrath of the Lord arofe againft
this form of church-government and worfhip (as in-
deed it was high time for the Lord to appear ; for
the power and life of religion was even expiring),
and he brake down all that flood up in the defence of
it, and gave much liberty to the oppreffed fpirits and
confciences of his people; yet this was not pleafmg
to the nation ; but fain would they have had either
the fame form up again, or at leaft fome other fuch-
like in the flead of it; whereby the loofe fpirit of the
nation might be fettled in fome way of formal wor-
fhip, and the growing reforming light fnibbed in the
fpirits of the tender-hearted towards God.
Look back with a fmgle and honed eye. Hath it
not been thus ? Hath there not been a fharp conten-
tion between God and this nation concerning this
thing j" The Lord hath rifen to remove the yoke from
off the opprefled, that he might caufe the powers of
this nation to' let the oppreffed confcience go free ;
but
Some considerations, &l% 357
but the nation would have them bound. It is ftill
crying to the powers and authorities in being to lay
the yoke on again. When one power is broken down
(becaufe it is not faithful in the Lord's hand, but
Itarts afide from the Lord's work, for which it was
chofen, to another of its own chufing), it feeks to
have another harder power {ct up (I mean harder to
the tender confcience) ; yet God overturns that alio ;
and what can (land before him, who is rifen to lliake
terribly the earth, and to make the oaks and cedars
thereof to fail, totter, and fall ? O England ! will
nothing ferve thy turn but the enflaving of God's he-
ritage ? That tendernefs of confcience which God hath
begotten in his people is his own ; is that which he will
inherit. It is that which he brought out of the Egyp-
tian darknefs of Popery, and which he is now redeem-
ing, and delivering out of the relicks thereof: and if
thefe three nations fhould for the generality join to-
gether as one man ; yea, and though other nations
fhould join with them, yet will they fall fhort of
power and wifdom to prevent the Lord of bringing
to pals his intended work.
Was it the generality of the nations God redeemed
out of Popery ? Or was it a poor perfecuted remnant,
for whofe fakes he did it, and whom he chiefly had
refpcft unto ? And is not the Lord able to carry oq
this work further and further ? Did he fuffer them al-
vvays to be (lopped in their progrefs, and held in
bondage by the powers fet up ^ Nay, did he not at
length break them down at their cries, for their fakes?
And do ye think he will now fu(Fer the line of Prefby-
tery to be (Iretched over them, to keep them down
from rifing up any further in obedience to the pure
law of life in their fpirits ? O England ! in the zeal of
the Lord of hods 1 could bid defiance to all thy coun-
iels and (Irength, though I fliould fee thee encompafs
round his poor fullering feed (who are very weak and
foolilh as to that kind of (Irength and wifdom), be-
caufe mine eye feeth the Almighty One (before whom,
in thy greateil (Irength and height of confidence, thou
art
328 Some CONSIDERATIONS, &c.
art as nothing) engaged againft thee j but I rather
chufe to nnourn over thee, and to wait for the open-
ing of thine eyes, by the anointing of the true eye-
falve, which alone can unbewitch the nations. Yea,
in bowels of tender love and pity to thee, 1 do be-
feech thee, O England 1 confider thyfelf ; do not undo
thv happinefs and profperityj fight not againft the
Holy One, the Mighty One of defpifed diftreffed If-
rael -, be not tempted to follow Ifrael into the wilder-
nefs (where they now are, and whither the hand of
the Lord hath led them), to bring them back again
into bondage, becaufe thou feeft them entangled in
the ftraits, and nothing appears able to deliver out of
thy hand. Remember what befel Pharaoh and all his
hoft. This Ifrael, whom thou hunteft, is dearer to
the Lord than ever that Ifrael was : for that was but a
fhadow of the true feed ; but the true life itfelf is be-
gotten arid brought forth in many of thefe -, and the
power and prefence of the Lord is mightily with them,
and amongft them ; though thou, in the unbelief, canft
not fee it. There is now an hour of temptation upon
thee } there appears a fair opportunity to thee to be
revenged on them, and bring them under. Take
heed what thou doft, left he, who hath the power over
all, bring thee under, and fet them on the top. Seek
rjo-hteoufnefs, feek the good of all, feek true reforma-
tion, and the Lord will blefs thee : but if thou think
to obtain the fetting up of old forms, and ways of
worftiip and government, or any new ones like to the
old, under which the righteous cannot but groan
(though the wicked and loofe fpirit may rejoice), thou
wilt be deceived, and thy miftake may prove very
dangerous and bitter to thee. Our earneft defires to
the Lord for thee are, that thou mayeft be fpared as
much as poflible (and that the fufferings of God's
people, from the very firft rent from Popery till this
day, may not be laid to thy charge) j but iniquity is
fo twifted into thy bowels, that with much tearing,
which will caufe great pain to thee, it can hardly be
feparated from thee. Thou art too wife and wilful ;
this
Some CONSIDERATIONS, &c. 329
this Is the caufe of thy forrow. If thou couldfl: fear
before the Lord, and patiently wait for the revealing
of his will, and of his guiding thee by his wifdom,
and not be fo enraged againft inftruments, but fee
through them to his hand (who hath afflided thee),
and humble thyfelf before that, how fweeriy and eafily
might his work go on in thee ! But alas ! haft thou
not fet thyfelf againft it from the very firft ? And now
thou art much pleafed with a feeming probability of
turning it backward. Ah, poor land! what will this
ftiff fpirit (which hath all along thefe times of trouble
repined at and oppofed the work of the Lord) brino-
thee to ?
The time of reformation is come ; the work of re-
formation is begun by that power which is able to
carry it on ; and that which now ftandeth in the way
thereof (how high and mighty foever) will be over-
turned. And although (as to what men have done)
the caufe and work of reformation may juftly become
a reproach ; yet the foundation of reformation which
God hath laid is glorious : and in thefe troublcfome
times is he rearing up the building of his New Jeru-
falem, which when he hath finifhed and brought forth,
will dazzle the eyes of the whole earth. O England !
be not high-minded, run not out into parties and
breaches, in the heady will ; but fear before him whofe
power is over thee (who comprehends all thy counfels,
ftrength, defigns, and hopes, as with a fpan, and
when they are at the height, can moulder them to
nothing with the touch of his finger) j for his will
muft ftand, not thine.
Written the 19th of the This is from him, whom, in the
nth Month, 1659. j^y Qf ^f^y diftrefs and bitter
calamity (which thy prefent
courfes lead apace unto), thou
wilt confefs to have been thy
true friend,
ISAAC PENINGTON the Younger.
T O
[ 330 1
TO THE
ARMY.
Friends,
DO ye not fee how often ye have been betray-
ed ? The Lord hath done great things for you,
and by you, and put great opportunities into your
hands ; but ftill they have been loR", his work fal-
len to the ground, and his name become a reproach
over all tlie earth, through your means. Oh ! be
abafed before the Lord, and lie very low, and con-
fider how juftly he may lay you afide from being
his inflruments, in that great and glorious work he
hath to bring to pais. If ye defire to ftand, look
up to the Lord, to keep your fpirits very low, and
poor, and meek, and ready to hear. Oh I wait to
know what hath betrayed you hitherto ! for alTured-
ly that lies in wait to betray you again : and if the
Lord mightily preferve you not from it, will make
you forget him, and caufe you to mind and feek your-
felves afrefh, fo foon as ever your fears are over.
Therefore, in the day of your profperity, the Lord
watch over you, and keep you clofe to the ftirrings
and honeft movings for publick good, that have
fprung up in your hearts in the days of your ad-
verfity ; and take heed, left the fubtilty in the wife
flelhly-reafoning part deceive you i but fear the
Lord in your reafonings, and beg earneftly of him
to keep the fimplicity alive in you, that the flefh-
ly wifdom get not maftery over it. For the evil
counfellor is near you, even in your own bofoms,
and he lies lurking in plaufible and fair-feeming
reafonings^
T o T H E ARMY. 331
reafonings. Therefore keep clofe to the fimplicity,
and let your reafonings be fervants to it, and not
maftefs over it. Ah ! remember how often ye have
ftarted afide like a warped bow : become now at
length upright to the Lord, carrying faithfully to
the mark thofe his arrows which he is fhooting at
the regions of Babylon.
This is from one who waits for what the
Lord will efFed, and hopes at length to
fee an inftrument in his hand wherein his
foul will delight.
ISAAC PENINGTON the Younger.
Vol. L Co, A QUESTION
[ 332 ]
A Q^U E S T I O N
Propounded to the Rulers, Teachers, and People
of the Nation of England, for them fingly to
anfwer in their Hearts and Confciences, in the
Fear and Dread of the mighty God of Heaven
and Earth ; whofe mighty Arm of Power is
ftretched out in this Nation, firfl to overturn
what flands in his Way, and then to eftablilh
(in the Place thereof) what he hath purpofed in
his Heart. And this is the thing which the
Lord hath determined to do, both particularly
in Perfons, and generally throughout the Earth ;
namely, to pull down the Mighty from their
Seats, and to exalt the Humble and Meek (who
are made fuch by the Prefence and Power of his
Life in them), that he alone may be exalted in
the Spirits of his People, and throughout the
Earth. And this Work hath the Lord begun
already ; for his great and notable Day hath ap-
peared, and breaketh forth apace; though the
Eye which is clofed cannot fee it, nor the be-
numbed Senfe feel it. But he that hath an
Ear, let him hear the Sound of the Lord's
Trumpet, which faith, in the mighty Breath of
his Spirit of Life, Awake ! ye Dead, and fland
up to Judgment; for the Day of Recompence
is come ; the Day of the eternal Vengeance of
our God, and the Day of his everlafling Mercy
and plentiful Redemption. The Queflion is
as folio weth.
WHEN this natio7i was rent from Popery (in part
I mean : for wholly it was never rent, but did
ftill remain in the fame fpirit ; though by the magi-
ftrate's
A CL U E S T I O N. 333
Urate's fword it was forced from that form and way of
worlhip which the pope had eftablifhed) did it wait on
the Lord for the guidance of his fpirit and pow^r, thereby
to build up a true church and habitation for God in the
fpirit ? Or did it take fuch materials as were ready at
hand, and frame up a building as well as it could^ where-
with the conjciences of many (that were tender-hearted to-
wards God) were even then dijfatisfied, and felt in the
eternal life of God the reformation not to be right in its
beginning ?
This is a weighty queftion : for an error at firfl, an
error in the foundation, is great, and the caufe of
many following errors. If the Spirit of God was not
then confulted with, and waited upon ; if he did not
raife the fabrick, furely the building was not right.
It was the Spirit of God which rent men from Popery
(fo far as they were ailed upon pure and honeft prin-
ciples), fhewing the blacknefs and darknefs thereof,
and kindling defires in them after a more inward and
fpiritual way of worfhip. Thus far was of him. But
if men did then confult with their own wifdom, for
the ordering and carrying on of the reformation, and
io upon politick grounds and reafons did raife up a
building, and not wait on the Lord for his light and
power to build with; then furely tliat building was
not of God, nor could he be honoured thereby, nor
his truth preferved, nor the integrity and confcien-
tioufnefs of his people's hearts towards him cherifhed;
but all this would fufFer and be in danger by this
building, and a contrary fpirit be pleafed with it, and
thrive under it. And hath it not been fo ? Were
not the Non-conformiils to it (though known to be
precious perfons in the favour and life of God) look-
ed upon and dealt with as enemies, while fuch Con-
formifts as were known to be loofe and fcandalous,
yet could flourifh well enough, and make a fair (hew
in this national church, and be zealous contenders for
the way of worfhip and government in it .? Yea, thofe
that have been ftridt in their lives and converfations,
C c 2 and
334 A (QUESTION.
and truly zealous towards God in their fouls and fpi-
rits, prelTing after righteoufnefs and purity ; fuch as
thefe, though they might conform, yet were they not
hated, nick-named, in fcorn called Puritans, and
fnares laid for them to intrap them ? And how could
it be otherwife r For if the building was not right,
if the conftitution and government of this church was
not of God, then it could not favour and cherifh that
which was of God, then it could not nourilh or be
pleafed with obedience to his pure life and Spirit, but
rather with obedience to its carnal form. For fo it
is in truth and reality before God; this church, v/ith
its whole conftitution, government, order, and way
of worfhip, was either of God's fpirit, and fo fpiri-
tual; or of man's wifdom, and fo carnal. If of God's
fpirit, then it will be a friend to that which is fpiri-
tual, and an enemy to that which is carnal ; if of
man's wifdom, then it will be a friend to that which
is carnal, and an enemy to that which is fpiritual.
And this is a true mark of the true church, and of
the true church power and government ; it begets and
preferves that which is fpiritual, it beats down the
carnal; whereas the church power and government, .
which is carnal, preferves that which is carnal (a car-
nal unity, a carnal uniformity in worfhip, &c.) but
checks, fnubs, fmites, and perfccutes that which is
fpiritual ; and for fuch a kind of power and govern-
ment to be fet up, the carnal part in every man con-
tends and cries out. And fo long as there is any
change made in this church by the fame wifdom, it
will never be otherwife; it will be from carnal to
carnal, and fo ftill againft that which is fpiritual.
Therefore look back fingly, and confider what the
building was, and how it was reared up ; and fee whe-
ther it was of God or no: or whether it was built
up in the forwardnefs of man's fpirit, by carnal rea-
fonings and confultings, accommodating things to
the prefent ftate of the nation, and not to the plain
and clear meafure of God's truth.
A Q^U 'E S T I O N. 335
Firjiy See what the materials were whereof this
church was built. Were they materials fit to make up
a true church of? Was it built up of a people truly con-
verted to God ? Of perfons changed in heart ? Of per-
fons fenfible of the foregoing idolatry ; and turned in
their fouls, minds, and fpirits from dead idols to-
wards the living God ? Or was not rather the heart of
the nation ftill inclined towards Popery, even while it
was turning into a Proteftant church ? And was it not
chiefly made a Proteftant church by the force of the
civil power, which wound in by degrees a Proteftant
intereft •, the heart of the people ftill remaining un-
changed, and hankering after Popery •, but at length,
in trad: of time, feeing they knew not hov/ to help it,
won over to Proteftantifm with the fame heart and
fpirit that they came out of Popery with ? Confider
ferioufly in the fight of God (who looketh both for-
ward and backv/ard upon things v/ith a true eye),
whether it hath been thus or no ?
Secondly^ See what kind of miniftrywas then fet up.
Was it a new miniftry (as John Hufs, that famous
Bohemian martyr, prophefied fliould arife, and as
Luther faw the necefTity of, utterly difclaiming the
deriving of orders from Popifli bifliops) ? or was it
the fame miniftry which was derived from Rome ? It
is a fore ftrcfs the minifters of England have been
put to; namely, to plead for the truth of the minif-
try of the church of Rome, that thereby they might
defend their own. Now mark this thing following ;
there arofe falfe apoftles, falfe prophets, falfe teachers
in the apoftles days j whom Satan clothed like true
apoftles, like true prophets, like minifiers of righte-
oufnefs. Thus they appeared, thus they feemed to be ;
but they were not of God, but Satan j not fent of
God, not infpired by God •, but infpired and fent by
Satan. Thefe falfe apoftles, thefe falfe prophets,
fought againft the true church, and true miniftry
of Chrift. And though they were oftentimes difco-
vcred, by the fpirit of Chrift in his church, and the
C c 3 church
226 A (QUESTION.
church preferved from them, yet we find related in
fcripturcs, that at length they did prevail, infomuch
as the third part of the true minifters were Ihaken,
and fwept down from their place and {landing by
them, Rev. xii. 4. yea, and at length the church
herfelf (as to the truth of her outward ftate) over-
come, and fled into the wildernefs, ver. 6—14. and
a fcilfe church got up in her Head, which hath a cup
of fornication to make people fpiritually drunk; and
to bewitch them from the true worfhip of God, into
imitations and likeneffes, Rev. xvii. 4. and thofe who
will not acknowledge her likeneflfes and imitations
to be the truth, but in the word of the lam.b's tefti-
mony witnefs againft them, llie drinks their blood,
ver. 6. Now can any man of any manner of feriouf-
nefs and fobriety of fpirit (who is not drunk and over-
come with this whore's wine) believe, that after falfe
prophets had got the day, and fet up the falfe church,
that they would fet up the true miniflry in it ? O how
blind have men been, that they fhould go about, and
take fuch pains, to derive a fucceflion of the true
miniftry from the minifters or prophets of the falfe
church !
'Thirdlj/y What kind of maintenance was fet up for
this miniftry ? Was it a gofpel maintenance ? Was it
that they fliould live of the gofpel, which cannot but
open mens fpirits to the true minifters thereof? Or
was it a maintenance forced from the people, by that
outward power which fet up the church ? And was
this maintenance like unto, or the fame with, the
maintenance which the Popilh miniftry had before in
this nation, for their idolatrous fervice .?
Fourthly, What kind of worftiip was it, which was
fet up .? Was it the worfhip of the gofpel, which is in
fpirit and truth ? Or was it a form of worftiip invent-
ed by man, and fo accommodated to the prefcnt tem-
per of the nation, that they might with the more eafe
and willingnefs ftep out of Popery into itj becaufe of
its nearnefs and likenefs thereto ?
Fifthly,
A (QUESTION. 337
Fifthly^ What kind of church government was fet
np ? Was it a pure fpiritual government ? Was it put
into the hands of the fpirit ? (For nothing is to go-
vern, or can rightly govern over the fpirits of Chrid's
people in fpiritual things, but the fpirit of Chrift.)
Or did men frame up a church government by their
wifdom, and put it into the hands of fuch as might
exercife it without, yea and againil, the fpirit ?
Sixthly^ What kind of order was fet up in this
church ? Was it the true gofpel order ? Was it the
order of Chrill's fpirit, whereby the carnal wifdom of
man might be quenched, and his fpirit have fcope ?
Or was it a carnal order, whereby the carnal wif-
tlom, learning, knowledge, and arts of man might
have fcope, and the fpirit in its motions be quen-
ched ?
Seventhly^ By what wifdom was the Common Prayer-
Book compiled and fet up -, and furplices, crofTes, and
other ceremonies injoined ? Was it by the wifdom of
God's Spirit, for the building up of the fpirits of
his people in the faith ? Or was it for the pleafing
and fatisfyingof the carnal part in people ? And what
fort of perfons were they who did mod contend for,
and were mod pleafcd with, thefe ? Were they, for
the generality, the drifter, or the loofer fort ?
Eighthly^ How came it about, that the fupreme
magidrate of this nation was made chief head and
governor of this church under Chrid ? Was this from
Chrid's inditution, or of man's wifdom and inven-
tion ? If of man's inventing wifdom, then againd
Chrid, then of antichrid's fpirit, who exalteth that
which is not of Chrid, to fit and govern in his
temple.
Oh ! weigh thefe things ; look about thee, O Eng-
land ! O rulers, teachers, and people look about you !
And if it plainly (upon a naked fearch) appear that
there was, at the very fird, a foundation laid of fup-
prefling the true worfliip, and the witnefles to it; do
not fliut your eyes. Have not the people of God dill
C c 4 been
338 A (QUESTION.
been mifreprefented, had reproachful names caft upon
theiii, and in feme degree or other been perfecuted
from che beginning of the reformation r* And though
names change, and rulers change, and the teachers
change, and the people alfo change in their religion
and worlhips, vet is not the perfccuting fpirit ftilithe
fame, and the perfecuted fpirit (till the fame alfo ?
The perfecuting fpirit changeth its cover often, but
ftill letains its nature, hunting after the life and pure
power of the fpirit, in the children which are begot-
ten of God. Are not the people of God in every
change a defpifed people, and their integrity towards
God ftill ftruck at ? When the Lord began a little to
•wipe off the reproach from them, at the beginning of
thei'e troubles, and the perfecuting fpirit could not
fo conveniently hunt them any longer under the name
of Puritans, then other names were invented for them,
"whereDy the fame fpirit fought to make them appear
odious agam, under a new reproachful title, that fo
it might be perfecuting the fame thing afrefh ? Oh
hovv mightily hath the Lord ftriven to keep the pow-
ers and people of this nation from falling upon his
people ! and yet ftill, fo foon as they come to any
peace, and feeling of power, they are at it again. O
England ! thy perfifting in this cannot but bring
wrath upon thee. What wouldft thou have of us ?
Shall we not fear the Lord ? Shall we not obey the
Lord ? Shall we not worfhip the Lord our God, who
hath redeemed, and is redeeming, our fouls from
death ? Shall we not be Proteftants in truth and up-
rightnefs of heart before the Lord ? Shall we not tef-
tify againft the Popiili fpirit, and Popifh pradices,
and all new inventions of the fame fpirit (though they
gei ever fo fine a covering) in the church of Eng-
land, as well as agamft them in the church of Rome ?
The Lord is our witnefs, we would not offend thee,
O England ; no not the meaneft perfons of the whole
nation : but from out of Popery we are called (and
from whatever elfe the fame nature and fpirit may
take
A (QUESTION. 339
take up in the ftead of it), to follow the Lord our
God towards the land of the living; and follow him
we muft, however thou deal with us. O England !
If it had been fo that thy rulers had built up a true
chuich, yet the evil fpirit, the unclean fpirit, would
have endeavoured to pollute it, to provoke the Lord
to remove his candleftick (which is an inward a6t of
his fpirit) the outward building might (land notwith-
ftanding, and then thy houfe muft have been left de-
folate, and the fame fpirit would then have called his
people out of it. But if thy building hath not been
fpiritual, and in the fpirit, how can the fpirit of the
Lord fuffer the children begotten by him to lodge in
it ! Oh ! when wilt thou have an ear to hear, that
the Lord's wrath may aflliage towards thee ; which
kindleth more and more, and is entering apace with-
in thy bowels ! This, this is the Lord's charge acrainft
thee: 'Thou art for the Protejlant name (it is now be-
come thy intereft, and a goodly covering in thy eyes)
hut againji the Protejlant fpirit ; which the Lord cal-
leth to follow him further and further from all the
things of Popery, and from all the things like Popery.
And the Lord will put a difference between the
Proteftant name and the Proteftant fpirit; between
them that ferve him in the fear which he begets in the
heart, and them that fet up that kind of fear which is
taught by the precepts of men.
O England ! we are now feemingly in thy hands
(who hall long handled us very roughly) ; and we
have no ftrength againft thee, nor no hope of deli-
verance from thee, but in the Lord our God j and
there we are at reft, waiting upon him, in the inno-
cency and integrity which he hath begotten in our
hearts, until he plead our caufe. And in that day
thou wilt fee that we have not been thine enemies,
and then thou wilt mourn over that mift of dark-
nefs, which hath with-held thine eye from difcern-
ing what true friends we have been to thee, and how
we have endeavoured, and fought with our hearts
to
340
POSTSCRIPT.
to prevent thy drinking of that bitter cup, which is
to go round the nations. And if thine ear could
have been opened, thou mighteft have been fpared.
POSTSCRIPT.
TH E gofpel is free ; the grace and mercy
thereof free; the fpirit a free fpirit (freely
given of God, and freely miniftering for God) ; the
church a fpiritual building, built in the freedom and
liberty of the life of the fpirit; the order and go-
vernment of the church is from and in the fame
free fpirit, guiding a people whom God makes wil'^
ling in the day of his power ; the maintenance of
the miniftry a free maintenance; the whole obedi-
ence and worfhip free, in the free fpirit, and in
the truth which is begotten in the heart by the
free fpirit. The head of this church is Chrift,
the living fpirit, who hath appointed none to be
head under him here on earth, nor hath given power
to any to make any laws concerning his kingdom,
or the government thereof; concerning his miniftry,
or the maintenance thereof. (Is it not thus ? Doth
rot the leaft child of light fee it to be thus ?)
But the church of England was a church built by
force; fettled by force; her minifters maintained by
force ; her order, unity, uniformity, and government,
forcible; and the free pure fpirit of life can have
no fcope in her, but according to the wills of her
rulers, teachers, and people : if it move otherwife,
if it appear otherwife, it is fure to be nick-named
and perfecuted. O England ! England ! can God al-
ways fuffer thefe things ? Will not his hand at length
be ftretched forth againft thee ?
The 14th of the 12th
Month, 1659.
Given forth by Isaac Pen-
iNGTON the Younger, in
the fear and dread of the
Moft High.
[ 341 ]
REMARK.
" ^TT^ H E day of the Lord fo cometh as a thief in
" J[ the night. For when they fhall fay. Peace
*' and fafety; then fudden deftru6tion cometh upon
" them, as travail upon a woman with child, and
" they fliall not efcape," i Thef. v. 2, 3. And when
the Lord cometh, woe to him who is found beating
his fellow fervant, and endeavouring to force the
confcience (which God hath made tender and pliable
to the voice of his fpirit) from its obedience andfub-
jedion thereto.
AN
A N
EXAMINATION
OF THE
GROUNDS or CAUSES
Which are faid to Induce the
[. Court of Boston, in New-England,
TO MAKE THAT
Order or Law of Banifhment, upon Pain of Death,
AGAINST THE
(QUAKERS.
AS ALSO OF
The Grounds and Considerations by them produced, to
manifeft the Warrantableness and Justness both of
their Making and Executing the fame ; which they now
ftand deeply engaged to Defend, having already there-
upon put Two of them to Death.
AS ALSO OF
Some further Grounds for juftifying of the fame, in an Ap-
pendix to JOHN NORTO'N's Book r which was
printed after the Book itfelf, yet as Part thereof) ; where-
to he is faid to be appointed by the General Court.
AND LIKEWISE OF
The Arguments briefly hinted, in that which is called, " A
*' true Relation of the Proceedings againft the Quakers,
&c."
Whereunto fomewhat is added
About the Authority and Government Chrift excluded out
of his Church ; which occafioneth fomewhat concerning
the true Church Government.
By ISAAC PENINGTON the Younger.
The ftone the builders refufed, is become the head of the corner.
This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. Pf. cxviii.
22, 23.
I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, becaufe thou
haft hid thefe things from the wife and prudent, and hall reveal-
ed them unto babes. Even fo Father; for fo it feemed good in
thy fight. Mat. xi. 25, 26.
I
i
( 345 )
TO THE
Rulers, Teachers, and People
O F
NEW ENGLAND.
MA N Y a weary ftep hath my poor foul fetched,
and many difficulties and hardfhips hath it met
with in its purfuit after truth. The immortal feed
hath deeply fuffered in me through the mifts of dark-
nefs, and various ftratagems and powers of the enemy,
which have often encompafTed me, and diflreifed my
fpirit exceedingly. I have known many battles, re-
ceived deep wounds •, yea, and have been in deaths
and graves often, where the living feed hath languifh-
cd for want of the living fpring. Yet this thing, to
the praife and glory of the Preferver of Ifrael, may I
fpeak ; the fenfe of God, and the favour of his fpirit,
was never wholly taken away from me -, though many
times I knew it not, but was too apt to diftruft it, be-
ing ignorant of the way of its appearing in me. The
fcriptures I always exceedingly prized, and a deep
knowledge of them, from an experimental fenfe of the
things they fpake of, was beftowed on me : but I knew
not what it was which gave me the knowledge, nor
how it fprangi but went about ftill to fix it in the
letter, and fo gave away the glory from the fpirit,
which fliines above and beyond the letter, and ought
fo to be acknowledged.
Before this defpifed people appeared, I was even
quite worn out, and faid, My hope is cut off from the
Lord }
346 To THE RULERS, &c.
Lord ; there is no fuch appearance of him to be look-
ed for as my poor diftreffed foul wants. Live without
the prefence of his fpirit I could not j where to meet
with his fpirit could I hear no news ; and that preci-
ous knowledge which I had through the operation of
God upon my heart from the living fpring j the fame
hand which gave me, alfo brake in pieces, and pulled
down that inward building which was reared up in my
fpirit.
What a man of forrows I became hereupon, how I
mourned all the day long, and roared out after my
God all the night-feafon, is not to be uttered. And
if it might be the Lord's pleafure, oh ! that my mifery
might end with me, and that this might be the ifiue
of all my fufferings, to fit me to be a faithful inftru-
ment in the hand of the Lord for the preferving of
others therefrom !
Now this was it which undid me ; namely, the get-
ting up of the flefhly wifdom and underftanding i
which, though God had broken in me mightily feve-
ral times, yet it ftill had fome fecret device or other
to creep in again into me, and to twine about my
fpirit, undifcerned by me : but this effeft ftill attend-
ed it J by degrees, like a canker, it eat out the fweet-
nefs and frefhnefs of my life and fpirit j and exalted
that part in me which God hides the myfteries of his
kingdom from.
At firft acquaintance with this rejected people, that
which was eternal of God in me opened, and I did
immediately in my fpirit own them as children of
my Father, truly begotten of his life by his own
fpirit ; but the wife reafoning part prefently rofe up,
contending againft their uncouth way of appearance,
and in that I did difown them, and continued a ftran-
ger to them, and a reafoner againft them, for above
twelve months ; and by weighing and confidering
things in that part, was ftill further and further off
from difcerning their leadings by the life and fpirit of
God into thofe things. But at length it pleafed the
Lord to draw out his fword againft that part in me,
turning
OF NEW ENGLAND. 347
turning the wifdom and ftrength thereof backward,
and to open that eye in me again, wherewith he had
given me to fee the things of his kingdom in fome
meafure from a child j and then I faw and felt them
grown in that life and fpirit, which I, through the
treachery of the flefhly-wife parr, had been eftranged
to, and had adulterated from. And now what bitter
days of mourning and lamentation (even for fome
years fince) I have had over this, the Lord alone fully
knows. Oh ! I have known it to be a bitter thing to
follow this wifdom in underftanding of fcriptures, in
remembering of fcriptures, in remembering of expe-
riences, and in many more inward ways of workings,
that many cannot bear to hear. The Lord hath judg-
ed me for that, and I have borne the'- burden and con-
demnation of that, which many at this day wear as
their crown. And now what am I at length ? A poor
worm ! Whom can 1 warn effedlually ? Whom can I
help .'* Whom can I flop from running into the pit ?
But though I am nothing, I mull fpeak ; for the Lord
draweth and moveth me : and how unfcrviceable fo-
ever my pity be, yet my bowels canjiot but roll, both
towards thole that are in mikry, and thofe that are
running into mifery.
Read in the fear, and in fimplicity, what was fo
written j and the Lord open that eye in you which
can fee the way of Hfe, and difcover the paths of the
myilery of iniquity in its mod hidden workings in the
heart ; that ye fleep not the deep of eternal death,
and fo at lad be awakened in the bowels of that wrath
and fiery indignation, which that fpirit which erreth
from, and tranigrefleth the life aqd light within, can
neither bear nor elcape.
Vol. L D d AN
( 348 )
A N
EXAMINATION
OF THE
GROUNDS or CAUSES, &c.
TH A T in New-England there hath been a law
made of banilhing the Quakers, fo called, and
of death in cafe of return, is well known in thefe
pcirts ; but what induced them hereunto, and what jufl
grounds and reafons they had for it, many are not ac-
quainted with, but are very much dilTatisfied concern-
ing their proceedings therein -, fearing that they have
difhonoured God, brought a reproach upon the name
of Chrift and his gofpel, exceeded the limits of their
power, given an ill example of perfecution, laid a
foundation of hardening their hearts againft God, and
of drawing his heavy wrath upon them ; all which
they cannot but be guilty of, in cafe it fliould be pro-
ved that they have been miftaken, and that thefe peo-
ple (upon a further fearch) Ihould appear to them to
be of God, as they have already to very many, who
have been exceedingly prejudiced againft them, till
they came more meekly to hear and confider their cafe.
For there are many here in Old-England, and in other
parts, who once reviled, reproached, and thought they
could hardly do bad enough againft them ; who now,
in the finglenefs of their hearts, can blefs God for
raifing up fuch a people, and that they themfelves
were not cut off in their blind zeal againft them j
but! in the rich mercy of God had a way made for the
removing
An Examination of, fire. 349
removing of their prejudices and hard thoughts, and
for the opening of their eyes, whereby they came to
fee that thefe are indeed a precious people of God ;
begotten, brought forth, and guided by his power ;
and that it is his living truth, which they (in obedi-
ence to his living pov/er) are drawn to bear witnefs to,
and to hold forth unto the world. And one fuch tefti-
mony for them is of more weight and value in a true
balance, than thoufands of teltimonies againft them
from fuch who are prejudiced, and have not patience
to confider things in equity and uprightnefs of heart,
and alfo whofe intereil lies another v/ay.
Now meeting of late with a paper beginning thus :
At a general court held at Boflon the 2>th of October ., 1 ^^<).
(wherein, by way of preface, there is firft an account
Sfiven of what induced them to make this law of banifh-
ment and death, and then grounds and confiderations
laid down to, clear it to be warrantable and juft), it
was upon my heart to confider and examine thefe,
to fee whether they did arife from the feed of God, and
from the true knowledge of the fcriptures by his fpi-
rit, and fo were weighty to the confcience which fing-
ly waits upon God for fatisfaction about truth j or whe-
ther they did arife from the fleflily part, and from flefli-
ly reaibnings upon Icriptures, and fo were but chaffy,
and not able to fatisfy the weighty confidering fpirit,
as in the fight of God.
And this 1 was the more induced to do, becaufe I
found bowels rolling towards them, and a fenfeof what
might eafily be their fnare, which hath overtaken and
entangled many : for many who have blamed others
fcverely, and really thought how well they themfelves
would have amended things, if ever they came into
place and power, yet have failed, and run into the
very fame error, when they have come to the trial.
So thefe perfons, when they were formerly perfecuted
in England, no doubt thought and intended, if ever
they came to be free from it, to lay a foundation a-
gainft it : yet when they came to the point, and felc
their condition changed, infomuch as it was now in
D d 2 their
350 An Examination of
their hand to determine what was the way of worfhip,
church-government, and order, there lay a great temp-
tation before them to fet up what they judged to be
right, and to force all others to a conformity to it.
Yea, now was their great danger, and time to beware,
left the fame perfecuting fpirit did get up in them,
which their being perfecuted was a proper means to
keep down : and if fo (if the fame fpirit which per-
fecuted them got up in them), then they who were
once perfecuted could not poflibly forbear perfecuting;
for that fpirit will perfecute where-ever it gets up.
And having laid its foundation of perfecution under a
plaufible cover, then by degrees it more and more
veils the eye, hardens the heart, and takes away the
tendernefs which was in the perfons before, while they
themfelves were perfecuted. Now I cannot but pity
thofe that fall into the fnarc of the enemy : efpeci-
ally thofe who are taken in fo great a fnare, and come
to fo great a lofs of their tendernefs towards God, his
truths, and people, and run fo great an hazard and
danger of the lofs of their own fouls.
The Gr©unds or Caufes exprefTed of their mak-
ing that Law of Banifhment, are in Subftance
thefe three.
I. rT^//£ coming of the Q^h.^Y.^'s, from foreign "parts y
J_ and from other colonies ^ at fundry times ^ and in
Jeveral companies and numbers^ into the jurifdi5iion of the
McJJachufe^s.
Anjw. This, of itfelf, is far from any warrant; for
" the earth is the Lord's, and the fulnefs thereof."
And though they claim a propriety in it, yet it is ftill
more the Lord's than theirs ; and he may fend any
one of his fervants into it at his pleafure, upon what
meffage or fervice it feemeth good unto him. So
that the great queftion to be determined here is this :
Whether thefe perjons came from the Lord, in his will,
and
THE Grounds or Causes, &c.' 551
and at his ap-pointmmt j or whether they came of them-
/elves, and in their own wills ? For if they came by
commiflion and appointment from the Lord of heaven
and earth, their warrant was without doubt fufficient.
But if they came in their own will, aad upon their
own defigns, then they went out of the Lord's coun-
fel and proteclion, and muft bear their own burden.
ISJow confider whether ye were tender in the due
weighing of this, before your imprifoning and deal-
ing hardly with them. For if, at their firft coming,
ye imprifoncd them, and engaged yourfelves againft
them, ye thereby made yourfelves unfit for an equal
confideration of the caufe^j- and God mightjuftly then
leave your eyes to be clofed, and your hearts harden-
ed againft his truths and people, for beginning with
them lb harlhly and unrighteoufly, and not in his
fear.
2. Thofe lejfer punijhments of the houje of corre^iotij
and imprtfonment for a time, having been infli£fed en feme
of them J but not fujfcing to deter and keep them away.
Why do ye omit cutting off of ears ? Are ye afharaed
to mention that amongft the reft ? Indeed the remem-
brance of it ftrikcs upon the fpirits of people here,
and perhaps in New- Engl and alio.
Anfw. They that are lent by the Lord, and go in
the guidance of his fpirit, cannot be deterred from
obedience to him in his fervice and work, either by
lefter or greater puniftimcnts. Puniftiments deter the
evil doer j but he that doth well is not afraid of being
punilbed ; but is taught, and made willing, and en-
abled to fuffer for righteoufnefs-fake, PM. i. 29. And
ye will find your greater puniflimcnts as inefft-dtual to
obtain your end, as your lelfer. For they whofe lives
(in the power of God) are facrihced up to the will
of God, are no more afraid of death, than they are of
whips, prifons, cruel ufage in prifons, and cutting
off of ears. Surely it had been a fweeter, a more
Chrillian and fafer courfe, to have weighed the thing
in God's fear and dread, before ye had begun any of
your puniftiments. But your own late relation con-
D d 3 fcficth.
^^1 An Examination of
feJfTcfth, that ye began with them upon reports fronn
Barbadoes and England; from good hands, ye fay;
and fo they of Damafcus might have faid, if they had
received the letters from the high-prieft, or relations
from zealous and devout Jews. And I have heard re-
lated from many hands (which, having drank in pre-
judices from reports, and begun with imprifoning of
them, might eafily follow) that they were never afford-
ed a fair hearing •, but at your courts, queftions were
put to intrap them, and they not fuffered to plead the
righteoufnefs and innocency of their caufe, but endea-
vours ufed to draw them to that (and a watching to
catch that from them) which would bring them with-
in the compafs of fome of your laws. Your confci-
ences know how true thefe things are, and will one
day give in a clear and true teilimony, although ye
fliould be able to bribe them at prefent.
3. Thai their coming thither was upon no other grounds
or occafion, for aught that could appear, than to fcatter
their corrupt opinions, and to draw others to their way,
end Jo to tnake dijlurbance.
A'Jw. Chrift faith to his difciples, " Ye are the
«' fait of the earth, and the light of the world :" and
they are not to lie flill, and keep their light under a
bufhel ; but to lighten and feafon the world, as the
Lord calleth and guideth them. And if the Lord
doth fee that New-England, notwithftanding all its
profeflion and talk of the things of God, hath need
of his fait to favour it with, and of his light to en-
lighten them with, and fo fendeth his meffengers and
fervants among them, they have no reafon to be of-
fended with the Lord for this, or with his people, or
with the truths they bring. They have -long had a
form up, and it may have eaten out the power, that
they may not be fo favoury now in their eafe and au-
thority in i\ew-Eng!<ind, as they were under their
troubles and perfecutions in Old-England : and God
may, in kindnefs to them, fend among them a foolifh
people to ftir them up and provoke them to jealoufy.
Now their coming thus is not to " fcatter corrupt
opinions i"
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. g^^
opinions j" but, by the power of truth, to fcatter that
which fcatters from the Lord. Nor is it to draw to
their way, but to the Lord, to Chrift, his living way j
which they are exhorted to try, and feel, and certain-
ly to know, before they receive. Nor doth it make
any " difturbance," but only to that which is at eafe
in the flefh, and fleilily forms of worlliip. And If-
rael of old was often thus difturbed by the prophets
of God (though they flill could not bear it, but were
enemies to the prophets for it), notwithflanding they
had received their way of worfhip certainly from God's
hand. How much more may the Lord take liberty,
by his fervants and meflengers, to dilturb thefe who
never fo received it, .but have formed up a way out of
the fcriptures, whereof many that are truly confcien-
tious, doubt whether it be the way or noi even as
they themfelves doubt, and are ready to contend a-
gainft, the ways that others have formed ?
Now thofe that pick a quarrel with truth, and feek
matter againft it to perfecute it, do not call it truth,
but error, corrupt opinions, the way of a fe6t, the
making of difturbance, or fuch-like. And persecu-
tors, for the moft part, do not only fay this, but bring
forth their ftrong arguments j infomuch as the perfe-
cutor is commonly jufc in his own eyes, and the per-
fecuted is blamed as the evil-doer, and caufe of his
own fufferings. Were the bifliops without their plea?
Nay, did not he that was called Dr. Burgefs (in his
book) feem to carry the caufe clear againft the non-
conformifts ? And why the biftiops might not eftab-
lifli their way by authority, or the Preft^yters their
way, as well as thofe accounted independents their
way (not regarding the Diflenters, or tender- confci-
enced) I confefs 1 fee not; but that they have jufti-
fied the biftiops by their pra6liftng the fame thing, and
fo unjuftly condemned them in words.
But how can ye fay, " for aught that could appear ?"
when ye were fo unfit (through receiving of prejudi-
ces and reports, and beginning fo roughly with them)
to conftder what might be made appear, and alfo fo
D d 4 far
354 An Examination of
far from giving way to them to make what they could
appear, as is before exprefTed? And doth not this alfo
imply that there may be a juft, righteous, and war-
rantable caufe of their coming, in relation to God
and his fervice, though it doth not yet appear to you ?
And in a meeker and cooler temper, when another eye
is opened in you, ye may fee and acknowledge that
caufe, who are the Lord's fervants j whether they
come in his name gr no -, whether they are his truths
or no, which they bring with them. Thefe are things
God opens to the humble, to the meek, to fuch as
fear before him, and wait for his counfel therein; but
thofe that can determine things by intelligence before-
hand from other parts, and imprifon perfons as foon
as they come, and lb proceed on with a ftiff refolu-
tion againft them, how are thefe in any capacity to
feek or receive counfel from God in a cafe of fo great
concernment ? So that at laft, even when they have
drunk their blood, they mull be forced to fay, " for
'* aught that could appear," this was their only end,
work, and intent; but whether it was fo or no, they
do not certainly know.
Thus far is in anfwer to the account they give, by
way of preface, to what led them to the making of
this law of banifhment and death. Now the grounds
and confiderations themfelves, which they held forth to
clear this to be warrantable and juft, follow to be
fcanned, which are in number fix.
1. The do5lrtne of this Jc5l of people (fay they) is de^
ftru^iije to fundament al Truths of religion.
Anfiv. For the making of this argument forcible,
two things are necelTary; if either of which fails, it
falls to the ground.
I. It is neceflliry to make manifeft, That perfons,
for holding or propagating do6lrines contrary to fun-
damental truths of religion, arc, by Chrifi's inftitu-
tion, punifhable with difmembering, banifhment, or
death. For Chrift is the head, king, and law-giver to
his church : it is he that is the foundation of religion,
and the giver-forth of fundamental Truths of reli-
gion :
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 355
gion: and he is the proper judge of what punifihment
is fit for fuch as either will not receive his fundamen-
tal truths of religion, or afterwards ftart back from
them, and broach do<5lrines contrary thereto. Now it
is required (in his name and authority) of fuch pow-
ers as will take upon them to inflid: thefe kinds of
punifhments upon fuch kind of offenders, Chrifl's in-
(litution for this thing. Chrift was as faithful in his
houfe as Mofes -, and if fuch a courfe had been necef-
fary for the pref^rvation of his church, furely he would
not have withheld it. But Chrift overcomes the devil's
kingdom by his fpirit : by that he wins fouls, and ga-
thers into, and builds up, his church ; and by that he
is able to defend them. By his fpirit he preacheth the
truth, and foweth the feed of the kingdom ; and by
his fpirit he upholds and maintains it. This is his
way of overcoming all the mills of darknefs and falfe
doftrines J and not a magiftrate's fword. " The wea-
" pons of our warfare (faith the apoftle) are not car-
" nal ; but mighty through God, to the pulling down
*' of ftrong-holds," 2 Cor. x. 4. Are there ftrong-
holds of darknefs ? Are there falfe doflrines broached
againft the truths of Chriil ? Who are the warriors
againft thefe ? Are they the civil ftate, the magiftrate,
the earthly powers ? or are they the minifters and fer-
vants of Chrift ? And what are the weapons that are
mighty to overthrow thefe ? Are they (locks, whips,
prifons, cutting off of ears, baniftiment, death .'' Or
are they of a fpiritual nature ? The fpiritual weapons
are fan6lified by God to this end, and are mighty
through him, able to effe6l it thoroughly : whereas
the carnal weapons are weak and unfan6lified, and can
reach only the carnal part ; but the ftrong-hold re-
mains untouched by thefe. And it is only the carnal
part which defires to have the ufe of fuch carnal wea-
pons in the church : the fpiritual man would conquer
by his own weapon, or not at all. Chrift came not
to deftroy mens lives, nor never gave order to have
men killed about his truths. If his people be difobe-
dient, and broach dodrines ever fo contrary and de-
ftru(5tive
^^6 An Examination of
ftruflive to his kingdom, he hath a fpirirual way of
fighting with them now, and hath appointed his fer-
vants to have his mighty fpiritual weapons in a rea-
dinefs for the revenging every dtfobedience^ 2 Cor. x. 6.
And he hath likewiie a time of dealing with them
hereafter; but he hath no where appointed that his
fiibjeds (if they could get the command of the
fword in a nation or country) fhould kill fuch.
Abundance of blood hath been fhed upon this pre-
tence, which the Lord will make inquifition for: it
Ihould at length be ferioufly inquired into, what truth
there is in this bloody do6lrine ? for under this cover
all the perfecutions and fiieddings of the faints blood
flielter themfelves. Oh 1 confider at length how cruel
and bloody, men have made the gofpel of peace by
this principle ; and what an advantage it gives to the
carnal part in thofe that are perfecuted, if once they
can get the command of the outward fword, to forget
their own fufferings, and fuddenly turn perfecutors of
fuch as differ from them, though upon as weighty
grounds (if not more weighty) than they differed from
others upon. But this they that are uppermoft will
not yield to, that the grounds of fuch as differ from
them are fufficient ; even as thofe that they differed
from would not yield that their grounds were fufHcient.
Thus ftill they whofe arguments go forth under the
fhelter, or by the command, of the prefent authority,
are looked upon as moll weighty ; and the others caufe
is trampled upon, though ever fo juft, innocent, up-
right, and weighty in itfelf ; and the meek of the
earth, the humble-hearted, the tender-confcienced to-
wards God, are ftill made the offenders and fufferers :
and their enemies are ftill made their judges. I do
think thefe of New-England would have once thought
it hard meafure, that Conformifts, whom they differed
from, fiiould have been the judges, whether their
grounds were fufBcient or no ; and yet they (^ever fince
they have had the power in tlieir hands) have taken
upon them to be the judges of the fufficiency of the
grounds of fuch as differ from them, and have as
freely
I
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 357
freely condemned all that differed from them, and
been as fore -a curb upon the tender confcience, as
ever the bifhops were. So that it is plain, that which
they fought was their own liberty (they did not like
to be oppreffed and enthralled contrary to their judg-
ments) ; but not the liberty of the tender confcience
towards God, but rather the yoking and inthraiiing of
it to theirjudgments, and arguments, and interpre-
tations of fcripture, which he that differs from, muff
be an offender with them, even as they were once ac-
counted offenders for differing from the Conformifts j
and fo are all become tranfgreffors of the lav/ of God,
in doing that to others, which they would not that
others lliould do to them.
2. It is requifite alfo to make manifeft, that the
doctrine of this fort of people is deftrudtive to the
fundamental truths of religion. For if it be not fo,
then they are injured and mifreprcfented ; and both
their banifhment and death, and all other puniflimxnts
inflicfted upon them on this account, will prove to
have been unjuft.
There are four inftances given, or four particular
fundamentals mentioned, to which their doftrines arc
faid to be deftrudlive. Firft, Tbe Sacred Trinity. Se-
condly, The Per/on of Cbriji. Thirdly, The holy Jcri^-
turesj as a perfect ride of faith and life. Fourthly, The
doSirine of perfection.
Now for the making of the thing clear and mani-
feft to every iober mind, it is requifite firlt to con-
fider what the Quakers hold in thefe feveral particu-
lars j and then whether that which they hold in thelc
rcfpecSts be contrary to the truth of thefe things, as
they are plainly related in the fcriptures : for if that
which they hold be according to the naked voice and
proper intent of the fcriptures, then they are not to
be blamed j but the blame will light on their accu-
fers, who might eafily be found guilty of injuring
both them and the fcriptures, both in thefe and many
other things, were they not judges.
I. Concern-
25^ An Examination of
I. Concerning the Sacred Trinity, They generally,
both in their Tpeakings, and in their writings, fet
their feal to the truth of that fcripture, i John v. 7.
That " there are three that bear record in heaven,
*^ the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit." That
thefe three are diftindt, as three feveral beings or per-
fons : this they read not ; but in the lame place they
read, that *' they are one." And thus they believe
their being to be one, their life one, their light one,
their wifdom one, their power one : and he that
knoweth and feeth any one of them, knoweth and
leeth them all, according to that faying of Chrift's
to Philip, " He that hath {ctn me, hath {^cn the Fa-
" ther," John xiv. 9. Three there are, and yet one ;
thus they have read in the fcriptures, and this they
teftify they have had truly opened to them by that
very fpirit which gave forth the fcriptures, infomuch
that they certainly know it to be true, and own the
thing from their very hearts : but as for this title of
Sacred 'Trinity y they find it not in fcripture ; and they
look upon fcripture-words as fitteft to expfefs fcripture
things by. And furely if a man mean the fame thing
as the fcripture means, the fame words will fuffice to
exprefs it : but the Papifts and fchool-men having mif-
fed of the thing which the fcripture drives at, and
apprehended fomewhat elfe in the wife imagining part,
have brought forth many phrafes of their own inven-
tion to exprefs their apprehenfions by, which we con-
fefs we have no unity with; but are content with
feeling the thing which the fcripture fpeaks of, and
with the words whereby the fcriptures exprefs it. Now
whereas they call this a fundamental, we do not find
it fo called in fcripture ; nor do we find the difciples
themfelves underftanding therein, but knew not the
Father, John xiv. 8, 9. And Chrift going about to
inform them, does not tell them of another diftindt
being or perfon : but " haft thou not ^i^tn. me ? And
" believeft thou not that I am in the Father, and the
" Father in me?" ver. 10. And fo the believers at
Ephefus had not fo much as heard there was an
Holy
THE Grounds or Causes, Sec. 2S9
Holy Ghoft, A6ts xix. 2. So that if ye will make
this a fundamental truth, yet it is fuch a fundamental
as true faith did ftand without, both in believers afore
Chrifl's death, and in believers after. This is the
great fundamental, " that God is light, and in him is
*' no darknefs at all," i John i. 5. and the great work
of the minillry is to fhew men where this light is, and
to turn men from the darknefs, wherein is the power
of Satan, unto this light, wherein is the power of
God, Ads xxvi. 18. And he that comes into this
light, and into this power, is owned in the light and
in the power, wherein is the life of all the faints,
and the true fellowfhip both with the Father and the
Son, and one with another, John i. 3. 7. And the
true trial of fpirits is not by an affent to dodrines
(which the hypocrite may affent to on the one hand,
and the true believer may flartle at on the other hand) ;
but by feeling of them in the inward virtue of the
light, in the fpirit, and in the pov^er. This was the
apoftle's way of trial, i Cor. iv. 19, 20. " I will
*' know, not the fpeech of them which are puffed up,
" but the power j for the kingdom of God is n6t in
** word, but in power." A man may fpeak high
words concerning the kingdom, and get all the doc-
trines about it, and yet be a ftranger to it, and quite
ignorant of the power : and another may want di-
vers dodrines concerning it (perhaps fome of thofe
which men call fundamentals), and yet be a citizen of
it, and in the power. But now, under the antichrif-
tian apoftafy, men wanting the feeling of the life
and power, wherein the true judgment is, they own
or difown one another upon an affent or diffent to fuch
and fuch dodrines, and fo fall into this great error of
difowning many whom Chrift owns : and if they find
perfons not affent to, or diffenting from, any of thofe
things which they call fundamentals, then they think
they may lawfully excommunicate and perfecute them.
So, by this miflake, they cut off that which is green ;
they perfecute that wherein is the living fap, and che-
rifh the dry and withered. That which is moft tender
towards
^6o An Examination of
towards God, and moil growing in the inward fenfiblc-
nefs (which caufeth it to ftartle at that which others
can eafily fwallow) lies mofl open to fufFering by this
kind of trial.
a. Concerning ibe Per/on of Chriji. They believe
that Chrift is the eternal light, life, wifdom, and pow-
er of God, which was manifefled in that body of fleOi
which he toolc of the virgin : that he is the king,
prieft, and prophet of his people, and faveth them froi"n
their fins, by laying down his life for them, and im-
puting his righteoufnefs to them; yet not without re-
vealing and bringing fort'h the fame righteoufnefs in
them, which he wrought for them. And by experi-
ence they know, that there is no being laved by a be-
lief of his death for them, and of his refurredion, af-
cenfion, interceflion, &c. without being brought into
a true fellowihip with him in his death, and without
feeling his immortal feed of life raifed and living in
them. And fo they difown the faith in Chrift's death,
which is only received and entertained from the rela-
tion of the letter of the fcriptures, and ftands not in
the divine power, and fenfible experience of the be-
o-otten of God in the heart.
Now they diftinguiih, according to the fcriptures,
between that which is called the Chrift, and the bodily
garment which he took. The one was flefh, the other
fpirit. " The flefh profiteth nothing (faith he), the
" fpirit quickeneth i and he that eateth me, Ihali live
" by me, even as 1 live by the Father," John vi.
57. 62- This is the manna itfelf, the true weafure ;
the other, but the vifible or earthen velTel which held
it. The body of flefli was but the veil, Heb. x. 20.
The eternal life was the fubftance veiled. The one
he did partake of, as the reft of the children did ; the
other was he which did partake thereof, Heb. ii. 14.
The one was the body which was prepared for the
life, for it to appear in, and be made manifeft, Heb.
X. 5. The other was the life, or light itfelf, for
whom the body was prepared, who took it up, ap-
peared in it to do the will, Pf. xl. 7, 8. and was
made
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 361
made manifeft to thofe eyes which were able to fee
through the veil wherewith it was covered, John
i. 14.
Now is not this found according to the fcriptures ?
And is not a good way to know this by unity with
it, by feeling a meafure of the fame life made mani-
feil in our mortal flefh ? 2 Cor. iv. 11. This we con-
fefs is our way of underftanding things; and like-
wife of underftanding the fcriptures, which fpeak of
thefe things. And we have found it a far furer kind
of knowledge; namely, to underiland the fcriptures
by experience of that v,^hereof the fcripture fpeaks,
than to guefs at the things the fcripture fpeaks of,
by confidering and fcanning in the earthly part what
the fcriptures fpeak of them. Such a kind of know-
ledge as this, a wife man may attain to a great mea-
fure of; but the other is peculiar to him who is be-
gotten of God, whofe knowledge is true and certain,
though it feem ever fo different from his who hath
attained what he hath by the fearch of his wifdom.
3. Concerning the holy fc7-iptures being a perfe^ rule
cf faith and life. The new covenant is the covenant
of the gofpel ; which is a living covenant, a fpiritual
covenant, an inward covenant, and the law or rule of
it cannot be written outwardly. Read the tenor of
the new covenant, Heb. viii. 10. "I will put my
" laws into their minds, and write them in their
" hearts." If God himfelf fhould take the fame laws,
and write them outwardly; yet, fo written, they are
not the new covenant: at moll they would be but an
outward draught of laws written in the new cove-
nant. And mark ; this is one difference given be-
tween the new covenant and the old ; the laws of the
one were written outwardly, in tables of ftone ; the
laws of the other were to be written in the heart.
That is the book wherein the laws of the new cove-
nant were promifed to be written, and there they are
to be read. So that he that will read and obey the
laws of the covenant of life, muft look for them in
that book wherein God hath promifed to write them j
for
362 An Examination of
for though in other books he may read fome outward
defcriptions of the thing, yet here alone can he read
the thing icfelf. " Chrift is the way, the truth, and
" the life." What is a Chriftian's rule ? Is not the
way of God his rule ? Is not God's truth his rule ?
And is not the truth in Jefus j where it is taught and
to be heard, and to be received even as it is in Jefus ?
Ephef. iv. 22. Is not he the king, the prielt, the
prophet, the facrifice, the way to God, the life itfelf,
the living path out of death ; yea, all in all to the
believer, whofe eye is opened to behold him ? The
fcriptures teftify of Chrift, but they are not Chrift;
they alfo teftify of truth, and are a true teftimony ;
but the truth itfelf is in Jefus, who by his living fpiri'c
writes it in the heart which he hath made living.
And fo a Chriftian's life is in the fpirit : " If we live
" in the fpirit^ let us alfo walk in the fpirit," Gal. v.
25. The whole life and courfe of a Chriftian is in
the volume of that book, as the Lord opens the leaves
of it in him. " The gift of God the meafure of
" faith" given him by God, that is his rule; that is
his rule of knowledge, of prophefying, of obedience,
Heb. xii. Rom i. 4. — xii. 6. If he keep there, if he
walk according to the proportion of it, he errs not :
but out of the faith, in the error, in all he knows, in
all he believes, in all he does. 'The new creature^ that
which God hath new created in the heart, in which
life breathes, and nothing but life breathes, which is
taught by God, and true to God from its very in-
fancy ; that is his rule whereby he is to walk, the
apoftle exprefly calls it fo. Gal. xvi. 15, 16. That
which is begotten by God is a fon ; and the fon, as
he is begotten by the breath of the fpirit, fo he h
preferved and led by the fame breath ; and fuch as
are fo led, arc fons, and none elfe ; for it is not read-
ing of fcriptures, and gathering rules out thence, that
makes a fon, but the receiving of the fpirit, and the
being led by the fpirit, Rom. viii. 14, 15. And be-
ing the whole worfnip of the gofpel is in the fpirit,
there is a neceflicy of receiving that in the firft place ;
and
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. ^6^
and then in it the foul learns to know and wait for
its breathings and movings, and follows on towards
the Lord in them. The fpirit cannot be with- held
from breathing on that which he hath begotten j and
that breath is a guide, a rule, a way, to that which
it breatheth upon. Now this is mod manifeft, even
from the fcriptures themfelves, they exprefly calling
Chrift the way, the truth, &c. the new creature, the
rule, the faith, grace, or gift, given to be the rule,
teftifying the heart to be that which God hath chofen
to write his laws in j but where do they call them-
felv-es a perfedl rule of faith and obedience ? ** They
" are they (faith Chrift) which teftify of me ; and ye
'< will not come to me, that ye might have life,"
John V. 39, 40. Life cannot be received from the
fcriptures, but only from Chrift the fountain thereof;
no more can the fcriptures give the rule, but point to
the fountain of the fame life, where alone the rule
of life, as the life itfelf, can be received. The fcrip-
tures cannot ingraft into Chrift, nor give a living rule
to him that is ingrafted i but he that hath heard the
teftimony of the fcriptures concerning Chrift, and
hath come to him, muft abide in him, and wait on
him for the writing of the law of the fpirit of life
in his heart, and this will be his rule from the law
of fin and death, even unto the land of life. Now
if men have miftaken in the night of darknefs, and
put the fcriptures out of their place (even in the place
of the fpirit) and fo have becorpe minifters, not of
the fpirit, but of the letter, whereas the apoftles were
made " able minifters of the New Teftament, not
** of the letter, but of the fpirit," 2 Cor. iii. 6. let
them not be offended at the Ipirit of God for teaching
us otherwife, nor at us for learning as the fpirit of
God hath taught us -, the fcriptures alfo teftifying that
this is the rule, but no-where fctting up themfelves
for the rule. And it is the fame fpirit, which would
now fix men in the fcriptures, to keep men from
Chrift the living rule and only way to life eternal, as
formerly kept them by traditions from the fcriptures ;
Vol. L E e though
364 An Examination of
though it is hard for them who are entangled in this
deceit, to fee it.
Now for the proof of thefe things thus barely here
charged, the reader is referred to Mr. Norton's (as
they ftile him) Tractate againft the Quakers. Con-
cerning the validity whereof, I refer the reader to
Francis Howgill's anfwer thereto, wiftiing him to read
both in the fear and dread of the Almighty, waiting
for his counfel to guide him in the true difcerning
which of them favours of man's wifdom, and which
of them writes from acquaintance with the truth it-
felf. In which anfwer of his, he recites fuch errors
of that Norton, as would make a great found againft
the Quakers, if any fuch could juftly be charged upon
them. I fliall mention only two or three of them,
viz. That God is a diftind fubfiftence from the Son
and Spirit ; and that the Son is a diftinft fubfiftence
from the Father and the Spirit : and becaufe it is
faid, the *' Father fhall give you another comforter,'*
this another he faith is intelligible of the elTence.
(Are there then three diftinft infinite elTences or be-
ings ?) 'That the Jpirit of God without the letter is no
Jpirit. (He was before the letter, he was never limit-
ed to the letter, he will be after the letter, and he is
what he is without the letter). That Chrijl's words,
John xvii. 21. give an uncertain found. (Where have
any of the Quakers caft fuch a blemifli upon any por-
tion of fcripture ?) Surely this man had more need to
feck to have his own velTel cleanfed, than to accufe
others of errors or blafphemy. And if he have no
other way to overthrow them, than by maintaining
fuch kind of things as thefe againft them, he will never
get vi6lory over them any other way than by the out-
ward fword ; but by the blood of the Lamb, and by
the word of his teftimony, and not loving their lives
unto the death, they will eafily overcome all fuch
kind of champions.
4. The fourth and laft inftance which they give of
the deftruftivenefs of their doftrine to the fundamen-
tal truths of religion, is, That opnion of theirs of
being
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. ^6^
being perfe^ly pure and withvut ftn, which (fay they)
tends to overthrow the whole gofpely and the very vitals of
Chriftianity : for they that have 7W ftn, have no need of
Chriftj or of hisJatisfa5iion-, or blood to deanfe them, nor
cf faith, repentance f &c.
Anjw. That the Lord God is ible perfedly to re-
deem from fin in this life j that he can call out the
ftrong man, cleanfe the houfe, and make it fit fof
himfelf to dwell in ; that he can finifh tranfgrenion
and fin in the heart, and bring in everlafting right-
eoufnefs ; that he can tread down Satan under the
feet of his faints, and make them more than conquer-
ors over him; this they confefs they fteadily believe.
But that every one that is turned to the light of the
fpirit of Chrift in his heart, is prefently advanced to
this ftate, they never held forth ; but that the way is
long, the travel hard, the enemies and difficulties
many, and that there is need of much faith, hope,
patience, repentance, watchfulnefs againft temptati-
ons, &c. before the life in them arrive at fuch a pitch.
Yet for all this, faith Chrift to his difciples, " Be ye
" perfedj" direding them to aim at fuch a thing;
and the apoftle faith, " Let us go on unto perfedion ;
and Chrift gave a miniftry " for the perfedling of
*' the faints:" and they do not doubt but that he
that begins the work, can perfedt it even in this life,
and fo deliver them out of the hands of fin, Satan,
and all their fpiritual enemies, as that they may ferve
God without fear of them any more, in holinefs and
righteoufnefs before him all the days of their lives.
Now how is this doftrinc, or how is this people,
becaufe of their believing and holding forth this doc-
trine, guilty of all this great and heavy charge that
is laid upon them here j as that they have no need of
Chrifly his fatisfa^tion, his blood, nor of faith, repent-
ance, growing in grace, God's word and ordinances, nor
of watchfulnefs and prayer, &c ? Let us confider the
thing a little further.
Firft, The dodrine of perfeAion, if it ftiould be
granted to deny all this, yet it cannoc be fuppofed
E C 2 to
z^s
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to deny the need thereof, until the flate of perfe6lIon
be attained. Nay, they that truly believe that fuch
a (late is attainable, cannot deny the ufe of thofe
things which are proper to lead to that ftate, but will
confcientioufly apply themfelves thereto, and prefs all
others thereto, who defire to attain that ftate. And
they that have either heard them fpeak, or read their
writings with any equality of mind, may abundantly
teftify for them againft the unrighteoufnefs and injury
of this charge. Their life lies in Chrift, their peace
in his fatisfaftion for them, and in a fenfible feeling
of his blood fprinkled in their confciences, to cleanfe
them from fin •, and by that faith, which is God's
gift, they feel, and wait further to feel, the righte-
oufnefs of Chrift imputed to them for juftification.
And as for being perfe^Iy jujl in themfelves, it is a very
unrighteous charge upon them j for their juftice and
righteoufnefs is in Chrift for ever, and not of them-
felves; but in the denial and crucifying of felf are
they made partakers of it, which is beftowed by the
free grace, mercy, and power, of him who hath mercy
on them, and not by any willing or running of theirs.
And as for repentance, they feel the need of it, and
find a godly forrow wrought in them, and a bitter
mourning over him whom they once pierced, and ftill
pierce, fo far as they hearken to the temper, and fol-
low the motions and lufts of the tranfgrefling nature.
And they do both watch and pray againft fin, and
feel what a bitter thing it is to have the watch fo
flackened, whereby the temptation prevails, which
would lead to fin. And as for purifying themfelves
daily, and putting off the old many and putting on
the new •, it is that which their hearts delight to be
continually exercifed about j and all this with an hope
that it may be effected, that the veflTel may be made
holy to the Lord, a fit fpiritual temple for him to
dwell in, that he may difplay his life, glory, power,
and pure prefence in them. But if the belief that
this may be attained, in the way wherein God lead-
eth them towards it, and an hope to attain it, with
an
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. ^^y
an acknowledgment of it fo far as it is attained; I
fay, if this make them guilty of fo great a charge,
then they are indeed guilty ; for they cannot but be-
lieve it, wait for it, hope for it, and acknowledge it,
fo far as they feel it wrought in them. But how can
this poflibly make them guilty of denying thefe things,
feeing the exercife of thefe things not only ftandeth
with, but is increafed by, fuch a belief and hope?
Secondly, The flate of perfedlion itfelf doth not
exclude thefe things, in fuch a way as this charge
feems to intimate. For in the (late of perfection, the
blood is not laid afide as ufelefs, but remains to keep
pure for ever. It is ibe blood of the everlajling covenant,
Hcb. xiii. 20. both the covenant and the blood lafb
for ever, and are ufcful even to them that are perfe<f{:.
And there is need and ufe of the faith in the blood,
to believe the prefervation. As the covenant itfelf
lafts J fo that which lets into, and keeps in the cove-
nant, lafts alfo. That which unites and ties the foul
to Chrifl: the life, abides in the foul for ever, even as
the union itfelf abides. And there is a growins: in
the life, even where the heart is purified from fin,
even as Chrift did grow and v/ax ftrong in fpirit -, for
a ftate of perfection doth not exclude degrees. And
fo there is alfo a need of watching againft tempta-
tions in a perfect ftate ; for yidam was perfe6l, and
yet he needed a watch : and Chrilt was ptrfedly pure
and without fin, and yet he did both watch and
pray. So that if any were brought to the perfefb
ftate of a man, even unto the meafure of the ftature
of the fulnefs of Chrift, which the miniftry was given
to bring all the faints unto, Ephef. iv. 11, 12, 13. if
any were taught and enabled fo to walk in' the light,
as to be cleanfed by the blood from all fin, and to
have fuch fellowftiip with the Father and the Son, as
might make their joy full, i John i. 3, 4. 7., if any
were brought to that ftate of glory, as to be chafte
virgins, 2 Cor. xi. 2. without fpot or wrinkle of the
fiefti, but holy and without blemilh, Ephef. v. 27. if
any Ihould be made perfcft in every good work ro
E e 3 do
3^3 An Examination of
do his will, which was a thing the apoftle prayed for,
Heb, xiii. 21. if any fhould have fo put off the old
man, and have put on the wedding garment, as to be
made ready and fit to be married to the lamb. Rev.
xix. 7. yet this would not exclude faith in the blood,
or prayer, or watchfulnefs, to keep the garment pure,
&c. nor growth in the life. And this we are not
afliamed to profefs, that we are prefling after, and
fome have already attained very far, even to be made
perfect as pertaining to the confcience j being fo in-
grafted into Chrift the power of God, fo planted into
the likenefs of his death and refurreftion, fo encom-
paffed with the walls and bulwarks of falvation, as
that they feel no condemnation for fin, but a conti-
nual juftification of the life; being taught, led, and
enabled to walk, not after the fleih, but after the
fpirit, Rom. viii. i.
From what they have faid concerning this opinion
of perfection (as they call it) they draw an argument
againft their other doflrines in thefe words. Such
fundamentals of Chrijlianity are overthrown by this one
cpinion of theirs, and how much more by all their other
do5frines ?
Anfw, To which I fhall fay this : if their grounds
and proofs againft any other doflrines of the Qua-
kers, be no more weighty and demonftrative, than
thofe they have here brought forth againft the doc-
trine of perfection, they may fpare entertaining pre-
judices againft them and condemning them j and in
the firft place weigh them in a more equal balance
than they have done this. And I dare appeal to any
naked and unbiafled fpirit, who ftiall fairly confider
what is above written, whether the do6trine of per-
fection be fuch an hideous error as they have repre-
fented it ? Nay, whether it be not a precious truth
of the gofpel of Chrift, and a great encouragement
to him who fhall follow the command of Chrift j
who faith, ** Be ye perfeCtj" to believe that (in the
way of faith and obedience) he may be wrought up
to fuch an eftate by the free-grace, mercy, love, and
power
THE Grounds or Causes, &:c. 369
power of God ? Yea, let me add this word more ;
he that feeleth the everlafting arm working one fin
out of his heart, cannot but believe that the fame
arm can work out all, and pluck up every plant which
the heavenly Father hath not planted ; which hope and
belief caufeth him with joy to follow this arm through
the regeneration. But if I did believe there v/ere no
perfefting the work of redemption in this life, but I
muft ftill in part be a flave to Satan, ftill crying
out of the body of fin and death, and never have my
heart purified for the Holy One to inhabit in, but
remain in part unconverted, unchanged, unregene-
rated, unfan6tified j oh ! how heavily fhould I go on !
I am fure it would be as a weight upon my fpirit in
refilling of fin and Satan. This is not the glad tidings
of the everlafting gofpel, but fad news from the bord-
ers of death, which would keep the creature not only
in the bonds of death, but without hope of deliver-
ance in this life ; and refer the hope to that day
wherein there is no more working out of redemp-
tion, but the eternal judgment of the tree as it falls.
Now, having after this manner proved that the doc-
trines of the Qiiakers are deftructive to the fundamen-
tal truths of religion, they lay down their argument
whereupon they conclude that it is lawful for them,
nay, their duty, to put them, to death, in thefe words.
** Now the commandment of God is plain, that he
" that prefumes to fpeak lies in the name of the Lord,
«' and turns people out of the way which the Lord
*' hath commanded to walk in, fuch an one muft not
" live, but be put to death," Zech. xiii. 3. Deut.
xiii. 6. 18. 20.
Anfiv, I. By what hath been faid againft them, it
is not manifeft that they have fpoken lies in the name
of the Lord. Nay, if they themfelves, who thus
charge them, could but foberly and mildly, with a
Chriftian fpirit, weigh the thing, would it not rather
appear, that they in thus fUily charging them, and
managing fuch untrue and unrighteous arguments
againft them, have fpoken lies, both concerning them,
L e 4 and
370 An Examination of
and againft the Lord and his truth ? And as for turn-
ing men out of the way, that cannot be juftly charged
on them, who turn men to Chrift the living way,
and deliver the fame mefTage the apoftles did, that
*' God is light, and in him is no darknefs at all j"
and who point them to that place where God hath
faid this light is to be found, which is the heart,
where God writes the new covenant, and the laws
thereof, Heb. viii. where the word of faith is nigh,
Rom. X. Surely they that dired hither, do not turn
men out of the way. But they that point men to
guefs at the meanings of fcriptures, and to gather
knowledge, and form rules to themfelves out of them,
by their own natural wit and underftanding, which
can never reach the myfteries of the kingdom of God,
and which God hides the true knowledge of the
fcriptures from, thefe are thofe that turn men out of
the way. For they that rightly underftand the fcrip-
tures, muft firft receive a meafure of the fpirit to
underftand it with; even as they that wrote any part
thereof, did firft receive a meafure of the fpirit to
vfrite it by.
1. It is not manifeft by thefe places quoted, that
the governors of New- England have received autho-
rity from the Lord to put the Quakers to death, if
their doftrines were fuch as they accufe them to be.
That of Deut. xiii. 6. is a manifeft cafe concerning
one that fhould tempt to the following of other gods,
of the gods of the people round about, nigh or far
offi in fuch a cafe the offender was to be ftoned to
death, ver. lo. but is this applicable to cafes of
do6lrine ? That of Deut. xviii. 20. gives a clear note
how the prophet may be known that fpeaks a lie in
the name of the Lord, and what kind of lie it is, for
which he is to be put to death, ver. 22. but it doth
riot fay that every man in the commonwealth of If-
rael, that holdeth any do6lrine contrary to what
fome of them might call the fundamental do6lrines
of the law, ftiould be put to death. That of Zech.
xiii. 3. is a prophecy, not a command, and is not
to
THE Grounds or Causes, &:c. 371
to be underftood in man's wlfdom, nor to be fulfilled
in man's will. It were better to wait for the true
openings of prophecies in the fpirit, than to let the
carnal part loofe, to gather fomewhat out of them for
the fatisfying of the flefh, and making its third after
the blood of God's lambs appear more plaufible. I
would but put this queftion to your confciences in the
fight of God ; whether in a confcientious fubmiflion
to the will of God in this fcnpture ye put them to
death •, or whether from this fcripture ye feek a Ihel-
ter and cover for the thing, having already done it,
or fully purpofed to do it ?
So that the cafe is not here the fame with any of
the cafes mentioned in thofe fcriptures : for if feme of
their dodtrines were lies (which ye have been very far
from proving), yet it was not for fuch kind of lies
that death was appointed in the commonwealth of If-
rael. And yet there is a large difference between
what was lawful to be done in the kingdom or com-
monwealth of Ifrael, and what is now lawful to be
done. The kingdom or commonwealth of Ifrael was
a (late outwardly reprefentative of what was inwardly
to be done in the ftate of the gofpel, by Chrift the
king thereof. He is the king and law-giver to his
people, and he is their judge concerning their re-
ceiving or rejeding them ; concerning their obeying
or difobeying them j concerning their holding the
faith, or their letting go the faith ; and maintaining
things contrary thereto. And he doth judge his peo-
ple here in this life, fo far as he thinks fit, Heb. x. ^o,
31. referving alfo what he thinks fit for another time
of judgment, Adls xvii. 31. And who is he that
fhall take his office out of his hand, and judge one
of his fervants in the things of his kingdom? Rom.
xiv. 4. Is not this an intruding into Chrift's kingly-
office ? He gave authority to, and command for, the
doing of fuch things outwardly before his coming, as
might reprefent what he would do inwardly after his
coming; but where hath he given authority fince his
coming, to do fuch things any more ? Doth not the
typical
3/2 An Examination of
typical king, with his typical government, cez(e, after
that king, with his government which is figured out,
is come ?
O governors of New-England ! to take away the life
of a man is a weighty thing ; and the Lord will not
hold him guiltlefs, who either doth it in a violent
manner, or who maketh an unjuft law to do it by.
But " how precious in the fight of the Lord is the
** death of his faints 1" oh ! how will ye be able to
bear the weight of their blood, when the Lord maketh
inquifition for it ! Ye had need have a very clear
warrant in this cafe. Oh ! how will ye anfwer this
thing at the judgment -feat of Chrift ! Alas ! fuch ar-
guments as thefe will Hand you in little Head : but
ye have done it, and now mull maintain itj and it
is exceeding hard for you (being thus deeply engaged
in the fight of the nations) to come to a fober and
ferious confideration of the ftate of the cafe, as it
Hands before the Lord.
2. The fecond ground or confideration which they
hold forth to clear their law of banilhment and death
againft the Quakers to be warrantable and juft, is
this : Becaufe they are far from giving that honour and
reverence to magifirates which the Lord requiretb, and
good men have given to them ; but, on the contrary ^ fhew
contempt againfi them in their very outward gejiure and
behaviour \ and fome of them at leafi /pare not to belch
railing and ctirfingjpeeches, &c.
Afifw. That we do not give that honour and reve-
rence to magiftrates, which the Lord requireth, de-
ferves a weighty proof. For what we do or forbear
in this kind, we do as in the fight of the Lord; as
perfons who are not only liable to fufFer from men,
but alio to give an account to him at the laft day.
Now towards magiftrates our carriage is thus, as in
the prefence of the Lord.
I. We obferve their commands in all things that
are according to God. We fubmit ourfelves to the
government that is fupreme, and to the governors
under the fupreme, for the Lord's fake, who in their
feveral
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 373
feveral places ought to be for the punifhment of evil-
doers, and for the praiie of them that do well, ac-
cording to I Pet. ii. 13, 14. This is God's ordinance,
and here magiftracy is in its right place, namely, in
punifhing the evil-doer for his evil deeds; but not
make a man an offender for a word, or for a gefture,
which is neither good nor evil in itfelf, but as it is
done. He that pulleth off his hat, or boweth ia
flattery, or to pleafe man, in him it is evil : he that
forbeareth to do it in obedience to God, and in the
fear of his name, in him it is good.
2. When any magiftrates punidi us for well-doino-,
for our obedience to the Lord's fpirit, though we
know God never gave power to any magiftracy to
punifh therefore ; yet we patiently fuffer under them ;
referring our caufe to him that judgeth righteoufly,
and waiting on him for ftrength to carry us through
our fufferings for his name's fake.
3. When we appear before them, we appear as in
the Lord's prefence, defiring his guidance, that we
may give due honour and refpeft to all that is of
him in them; and may be kept from honouring or
pleafing that which is not of him, and which he would
not have us honour. This is the temper of our fpi-
rits, and accordingly is our carriage as in the Cicrhz
of the Lord, whatever men deem of us.
But the great matter is, becaufe we do not pull off
our hats, and bow to them, or that we ufe plain lan-
guage to them (as thou and thee to a particular per-
fon), which fome of them will needs interpret to be
contempt; though others of them, who are more fo-
ber and confiderate, can clearly dilcern that it is not
at all in contempt either to their authority, or their
perfons ; but in a mere fingle-hearted obedience to
God. Now to drive this a little towards a fair trial,
confider in meei<.nefs, and in God's fear,
I. What kind of honour this is which is thus much
flood upon ? Is it the honour which is from above, or
the honour which is from below ? What part fprings
it from in mans from the new-birth, or from the
earthly
374 An Examination of
earthly nature ? And what doth it pleafe in man ?
Doth it pleafe that which is begotten of God ? Doth
it pleafe the meeknefs, the humility, the lowlinefs,
the new nature ? Or doth it pleafe and help to keep
Dp the old nature, the lofcy fpirit, even that part
which is prone in every man to be exalted out of the
fear of God ? For this I may freely fay, that whatfo-
ever is of the earth, hath an aptnefs in it to feed the
earthly part ; and particularly this of outward bowing
to the creature, is apt to hurt him that receiveth it.
In man's giving and receiving honour, God hath been
forgotten. They have forgotten God, who have been
giving honour to one another j and they have forgot-
ten God, who have been receiving honour from one
another. And what if the Lord, who hath made us
fenfible of the evil herein, hath laid a reftraint upon
us ? Can any forbid the Lord from laying fuch a thing
upon us ? Or is it lawful for any to go about to hin-
der us from obeying the Lord therein ? Thou who art
thus eager in contending for honour, art thou fure it
is not the evil part in thee which doth defire it ? If it
be the good part in thee, thou wilt defire it in meek-
nefs and gentlenefs ; yea, and wilt be able to bear the
want of it with joy, where it is denied thee upon fuch
an account, that it may run more purely towards the
Lord.
Now if it be earthly honour, it is of a perifhing
nature: it is not always to laft; but is one of the
fafhions of this world which is to pafs away (how long
a time foever it hath had) ; and God may call his
people from it at his pleafure ; and if he call from it,
they muft leave it off, though the earthly nature and
power be never fo angry thereat. The Lord hath let
men have a long day, wherein man hath been lifted
up, and appeared great, by receiving that honour
which is of the earth, not of the faith : but at length
the Lord will bring forth his day, wherein he will be
great, and have every knee bow to him, and every
tongue confefs to him : and then man Ihall be little,
and
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. j^^
and his honour fall, and the Lord alone be exalted,
Ifa. ii. 17.
2. Doth not the image of God grow up into the
likeneis of God ? Doth God refpeft mens perfons ?,
Did Chrift regard any man's perfon ? Did not James
fay, " If ye have refpeft to perfons, ye commit fin,
" and are convinced of the law, as tranfgrefTors ?'*
James ii. 9. Of what law ? Of the law of faith, which
exalteth the new-birth, and layeth flat the creature in
its tranfgrefling nature, eftate, and honour. For faith
Chrift, who received not honour from men, nor gave
honour to men, '* How can ye believe, which receive
*' honour one of another ?'* John v. 44. That which
receiveth earthly honour, is of the earth, and cannot
believe ; and that which giveth earthly honour, is of
the earth, and fo not of the faith. The faith is a de-
nying of the earth, a taking up of the crofs to the
earthly honour, which is as a block in the way of
faith. How can ye believe, when ye cherifh that part
in you which is againft the faith ? The immortal feed
of life, in the day of the gofpel, grows up out of the
earth, leaving it, with its cuftoms, fafliions, honours,
and its nature and worlhip too, behind it.
So that look into the ground of the thing with the
eye which feeth over the tranfgrelTing ftate, and over
all things which have fprung up from the tranfaref-
fing part, and which plcafe that part which is out of
the faith, out of the life and power, drawn from God
into the earth, and it will be manifeft that earthly
honour hath its root, foundation, and fervice there ;
but falleth off like a fhackle from man's fpirit, as the
life rifeth in him, and as he is redeemed out of the
earth.
Now as for Abraham's and Jacob's bowings, &c.
thofe things had their feafon under the law (which
made nothing perfed), as other things had j but now
God calleth every man to bow to the Son, and will
not permit fo much as a bowing to an angel, who is
far more honourable than any magiftrate. And the
Son calleth to honour the Father, and to feek the
honour
^y6 An Examination of
honour which cometh from God only: and he that
will be his difciple, muft take up his crofs to the
earthly part, and follow him, who neither gave earth-
ly honour, nor received earthly honour, but con-
demned it, John V. 44. Therefore let men confider
the ground of the thing, and the different ftate be-
tween Jews under the law, and Chriftians under the
gofpel J and not think the bringing of inftances from
them of old time can excufe us from following Chrift
according to the law of faith, who gave us this pattern
of not receiving or giving honour to mens perfons •,
and let not the weight of our plea (it having fo great
impreffion on our hearts) be defpifed by any that pre-
tend relation to our Lord and mailer, which I ftiall
briefly thus recite.
1. It is the fingle and fincere defire of our hearts
to give all the honour and obedience to magiftrates,
which is due unto them according to the fcriptures.
2. It is manifeft that we are careful of obferving
alljuftlawsj and patient in fuffering through unjuft
laws, or where the magiftrate doth perfecute us
without or againfl: law.
3. This kind of honour of pulling off^ the hat, and
bowing to the perfon, we do not find commanded in
fcripture ; but we find Chrift's command againft it,
who faith, " Follow me^" who both denied to receive
it, and did not give it; but condem.ned it. And we
find its rife to be from the earthly part, and to the
earthly part it is given ; which it pleafeth, being
given to it; or is offended at being denied it: and
this part we are taught by the Lord to crucify in
ourfelves, and not to cherifh in others.
4. The bowing of perfons under the law (which
was an earthly Hate, wherein many things were per-
mitted, which are not permitted under the gofpel)
doth not bind Chriftians under the gofpel ; nor doth
not limit the fpirit of God from taking of any one
or more, or all of his people, from giving that which
the earthly part calleth honour, to that which is of
the earth.
5. We
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 377
5. We do appeal to the Lord our God (who is
our judge and law-giver) that he hath laid this upon
our fpiritsj and hath fmitten feveral of us, when
there hath rifen fo much as a defire in us to pleafe
men in this particular : and in tiie fear of his name,
and in obedience to him, we do forbear itj and not
either in contempt of authority, or of the perfons in
authority.
6. We find, by much experience, that the forbear-
ing of this is a fervice to our Lord and mailer, and
an hurt to his enemy. It ofFendeth the paflionate, ic
ofFcndeth the rough, it ofFendeth the proud and loftv -,
that fpirit is foon touched and llirred by it : but that
which is low, that which is meek, that which is
humble, that which is gentle, that is eafily drawn
from valuing and minding of it, and findeth an ad-
vantage therein. And of a truth the earthly fpirit
knows, and feels, that God is taking the honour
from it, and giving it to the meek and humble ; which
makes it mufter up its forces and arguments to hold
it as long as it can.
Now what moderate man (much more any Chrif-
tian) could not forego the putting off of an hat, or
the bowing of a knee, upon fo folemn and weighty
an account as this. If this were thine own cafe,
wouldil thou be forced, imprifoned, fined, or have
this made an argument againft thee to banifli thee, or
put thee to death ? Thou doll not know how the
Lord may vifit thee by his fpirit, and what he may
require of thee. He may call thee alfo to give forth
thy teftimony (and to fight under the banner of his
fpirit) againft all the fafhions, cuftoms, honours, yea,
and worfliips of this world. That which is born of
God, is not of this world : and as it groweth up in
any earthen vefTel, fo it draweth the velfel alfo more
and more out of this world. " Ye are not of the
" world," (but called out of the world), " therefore
" the world hates you." That which can pleafe the
world, that which can bow to it and honour it, that
the world loves i but the immortal feed which cannot
bow.
378 An Examination of
bow, but teftifies againft the world's honours, that
they are not of the Father, but of the world, this
feed the world hates, and the veflels in whom it
bubbles up, and through whom it giveth forth its
teftimony againft the world.
Objeft. But in the New Tejtament Luke fiiles I'heophi-
Jus mojl excellent ; and Paul^ /peaking to FeJluSj faid^ Moji
noble Fejlus j which are terms or exprejjions of honour and
reverence.
Anfw. Chrift did promife his difciples and minif-
ters that he would be with them, and give them what
to fay. Now if nobility and true excellency did ap-
pear in any perfons, and he led them by his fpirit to
acknowledge it, this is no fufficient warrant for men
to do the like in their own wills j or to give fuch
titles to perfons being in authority, whether they be
fuch perfons or no. Luke knew Theophilus to be
excellent, and he was led by the fpirit of God to
ftile him excellent ; for by the fpirit of God he wrote
the fcripture, Luke i. 3. wherein he fo ftiles him.
And for Feftus, he that fhall ftridly obferve his car-
riage, will find it to be very noble, in that he would
not be won by the importunity and informations of
the high-prieft and chief of the Jews, and of the
multitude alfo, againft Paul, but applied himfelf to
an upright confideration of the caufe, A6ls xxv. 2. 24.
to the end. The fame fpirit which fhewed the un-
worthy carriage and ignoblenefs of the high-prieft
and zealous profefling Jews, might move Paul to fet
this mark of honour upon Feftus. The Lord loveth
truth in the heart, and truth in words, and the fol-
lowing of the guidance of his fpirit into truth : but
to give a man high titles, merely becaufe he is great
and high in the outward, without difcerning that he
is fuch, and without the leading of God's fpirit fo to
do, this is of the fiefti, according to the will of the
fiefh, out of the faith, and not according to truth and
righteoufnefs : and in the fear of the Lord there is a
watch fet over our fpvrits in thefe things, left we
fliould efteem and honour men according to the
will
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 379
will of the flefh, and not in the Lord. Titles of office,
or of relations, as mafter, father, &c. we find free-
dom to give j but titles which tend towards flattery,
or exalting man out of his place, and the lifting up
of his heart above his brethren, we have not freedom
in the Lord to ufe. And Elihu alfo found a reftrainc
upon him in this refped:, Job xxxii. 21, 22.
Objed;. // is noted as a brand and reproach of falfe
teachers^ that they deffife dominion, and fpeak evil of
dignities, 2 Pet. ii. 10. and Jude ver. 8. Now it is well
known that the fraSfice of the Quakers is but too like
thoje falfe teachers, &c.
Anfw, It were worth a narrow fearch and inquiry
what the dominion and dignities (or glories) are,
which the falfe teachers fpeak evil of, or blafpheme,
&c. Search the fcriptures : where do ye find the falfe
teachers fpeaking evil of earthly authorities ? Nay,
they ftill cling clofe to them, exalt them, get them
on their fide, and cry them up, and will be fure
enough never to fail in pleafing the magiftrate with
cringing and bowing, or any thing of that nature.
But there is the dominion of the Lord Jefus Chrift in
the heart ; there is the rule of his fpirit over the flefh-
ly part] and there is the truth in the inner manj
there are fpiritual dignities (or glories) ; thefe the falfe
teachers, in all ages, did defpife, and were not afraid
to fpeak evil of; though they Ihould have feared to
fpeak evil of the movings, and guidings, and loweft
appearings of the fpirit of God (which excel in na-
ture and worth the greateft: earthly dignities) j yet
they have not ; but have blafphemed the holy life
and appearances of God in his people : nay, they have
not fpared his more em,inent break ings-forth in his
very prophets, holy apoftles, or Chrift himfelf. Mark
what they fpeak evil of j they fpeak evil of " the ^
" things they know not," ver. 10. What were the
things they knew not ? The inward movings and
virtue of his fpirit j the inward power, life, glory,
and dominion of truth in the heart, they knew not:
it was againft Chrift in his people their evil deeds and
Vol. I. F f hard
380 An Examination of
hard fpeeches were, ver. 15. But as for the high
and great-ones, the dominions and dignities of the
earth, they knew them well enough, and did not
fpeak evil of them ; but had their perfons in admi-
ration, becaufe of the advantage they had by them,
ver. 16, They have always had a double advan-
tage from thefe, both of gain to themfelves, and of
overbearing the lambs of Chrift by their great fuel-
ling words. The Lord hath ftill fo ordered it in his
wifdom, both before the coming of Chrift, at his
coming, and fince, that the falfe prophets and teach-
ers Ihould ftill have the advantage of the outward
authorities, and his people be a poor, afflided, de-
fpifed, perfecuted remnant, whofe glory is inward,
and cannot be difcerned by the outward eye, no not
of God's Ifrael. See the dignities particularly ex-
prefled. Rev. xiii. 6. The name of Gody his holy power
in his people : the tabernacle^ which is fandtified and
made honourable for him by his fpirit; them that
dwell in heaven 3 who are redeemed out of the earth,
and have their converfation above : thefe are digni-
ties which the earthly authorities, nay, the falfe teach-
ers themfelves, never knew the worth of, and fo they
are not afraid to blafpheme them. The firft beaft on
which the falfe church rode, with the fecond beaft,
which are of the very race of thefe falfe teachers,
making an image to the firft beaft, becaufe of ad-
vantage, all join together in blafpheming thefe dig-
nities. Rev. xiii. and chap. xvii.
To open this a little further ; John faid in his days,
that it was then the laft time : for there were many
antichrifts then come, i John ii. 18. From whence
came they ? " They went out from us," faith he ;
*' but they were not of us," ver. 19. ** They were
•f fenfual j they had not the fpirit" and fo could not
abide the prefence, life, judgment, and power of the
fpirit i but " feparated themfelves," Jude ver. 19. But
whither went they, when they went fout from the
true church ? Why they went out into the world,
I John iv. 2. They got the form of godlinefs, which
would
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 381
would (land well enough with the lufts and eafe of
the flelh, and went and preached up that in the
world. And now fpeaking the things of God in the
worldly fpirit, the world could hear them, ver. 5.
Thus having got a great party into the form of truth,
now they blafpheme the power; now they mock at the
movings of the fpirit, the leadings of the fpirit, the
living name, the true tabernacle, the true inhabitants
of heaven, who have their converfation above in the
heavenly nature, in the heavenly principle, in the
pure fpirit of life (for as they are begotten by the
fpirit, fo they live in the fpirit, and walk in the
fpirit). This the falfe teachers (who have got the form
of doftrine and the form of difcipline, holding it in
the flelhly wifdom, where they may hold their lufts
too) mock at and blafpheme, Jude, ver, 18. And this
hath been the great way of deceit fince the apoftafy ;
God gathered a feparated people from the world ; the
falfe teachers get the form of godlinefs from them,
and fet it up in the world, and then turn againft the
power, and deny it, fpeaking evil of, or blafpheming
the fpirit, which is the dominion, and his miniftra-
tions (in the fpirits of his people), which are the
dignities or glories of the NewlTeftamenr, which ex-
cel all earthly dignities, and alfo the miniftration of
the firft covenant, 2 Cor. iii. 7, 8.
So likewife for railing fpeeches. The falfe prophets
can fpeak fmooth words j fpeaking in the fleflily wif-
dom, they can pleafe the flefhly part in their very
reproofs ; but he that fpeaks from God, muft fpeak
his words, how harfh foever they feem to the flefhljr
part. And he that fpeaks in his name, fpirit, majefty,
and authority, is exalted high above the confideration
of the perfon to whom he fpeaks. What is a prince,
a magillrate, a ruler, before the Lord, but clay, or
duft and alhes ? If the Lord bid any of his fervants
call that, which was once the faithful city, harlot;
and fay, concerning her princes, that they are rebel-
lious, and companions of thieves, Ifai. i. 21. 2j.
what is the poor earthen veflel, that it (hould go to
F f 2 change
382 An Examination of
change or mollify this fpeech ? And fo for the falfe
prophets and teachers : if the fpirit of the Lord (in
the meaneft of his fervants) call them idol Ihepherds,
hirelings, thieves, robbers, dogs, dumb dogs, greedy
dumb dogs, that cannot bark (though they can
fpeak fmooth pleafing words enough to flelhly Ifrael,
and the earthly great-ones), generation of vipers, hy-
pocrites, whited fepulchres, graves that appear not,
&c. w^ho may reprove him for it, or find fault with
the inftrument he chunks ? Now man, judging by the
flefhly wifdom, may venture to call this railing j and
the prophets of the Lord have been accounted rude,
and mad, and troublers of Ifrael ; and fo it is at this
day: but the Lord, being angry with the tranfgreffor,
may fend a rough rebuke to him, by what meffenger
he pleafeth •, and what is the poor creature that he
fhould gainfay his maker, and defire the meflage
might be fmoother ? But nov; thefe falfe teachers,
who can fpeak fmoothly to the flefhly part, flatter the
great-ones, and the profeflTors which fall in with their
form of doflrine and difcipline, they deny the power,
and blafpheme the movings and goings-forth of the
fpirit of God in his people j and if any be drawn by
the fpirit to feparate from their formal way, and to
feek after the life and prefence of the power, him
they cry out of as a fedary, a blafphemer, an here-
tick; and fo bring railing accufations againft that life
and fpirit by which he is drawn, and of him for fol-
lowing the drawings of it : and thus they become
guilty of fpeaking evil of what they know not, Jude 10.
They that are drawn out of the world's worfliips, know
from what they were drawn ; but they that remain
{lill in them, do not know the power which drew out
of them, nor into what it drewj but looking on it
with a carnal eye, it appears mean to them, and fo
they readily difdain it, and think they may fafely fpeak
evil of it, though in truth they know it not.
And as for curftngs; there are children of the curfe,
as well as of the blefling : and the fpirit of the Lord
may pronounce his curfe againft any children of the
curfe
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 383
curfe by whom he pleafes. Curfe ye Meroz : curfe
ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, Judges v. 23.
And yet Meroz did not perfecute, but only not come
to the help of the Lord againft the mighty. So the
profefTing Jews, with their rulers and teachers, were
curfed by the fpirit of the Lord, Pf. Ixix. 22. &c.
So Judas was curfed, Pf. cix. 6. Szc. For Peter ap-
plieth it to him, AiSts i. 20. Now if the curfe be
caufelefs, it fhall not come, Prov. xxvi. 2. And well
will it be with him whom men caufeledy curfe, Mat.
V. II. Although they were the higheft, devouteft,
and mod zealous profefllng Jews, with their priefts
and rulers in thole days ; and although they fhould be
the higheft, moft zealous, and devout formal Chrif-
tians, with their rulers and teachers in thefe days, who
may have got this form, as well as they got that
form, and yet hold the truth in unrighteoufnefs, and
deny the power, as falfe teachers formerly did, who
held the form, 2 Tim. iii. 5. But the cale of Shimei
is not at all proper to the thing in hand, becaufe he
did not pretend to curfe in the Lord's name and
authority; but, manifeftly out of the fear of God,
curfed the Lord's anointed in his low ftate. Neither
were thefe two Quakers put to death for curfing.
So that if Humphry Norton v/ere never fo blameable,
yet that reacheth not to them, but is to be reckoned
to him that did it, who is to ftand or fall to his own
mafter therein. Yet this I may fay, becaufe it is fo
extraordinary a cafe (we having not known the like)
that if he had not the Lord's clear warrant for what
he did, fu rely the Lord will feverely judge him, for
fpeaking fo peremptorily and prefumpt^oufly in his
name, if not required by him.
And fo as touching contemptuous carriage. ■ When
there is not contempt in the heart, it is not eafy to
fliew contemptuous carriage; but the flelhly part
miffing of the honour which is pleafing to it, and
being offended thereby, is ready to apprehend that
to be fpoken and done in contempt, which is fpoken
and done in the humility and fear of the Lord.
F f 3 3. A
3P4 An Examination of
3. A third ground or confideration to juftify tlveir
law of banifhment and death of the Quakers, is
drawn from Solomon's confining of Shimei, and of putting
him to death for breach of his confinement ^ whereupon
they argue, that if execution of death be lawful upon
breach of confinement^ may not the fame be faid for breach
of banifhment ; banifhment being not fo firait, but giving
more liberty than confinement ?
Anjw, The queftion is not whether the magi (Irate
upon no occafion may banifh upon pain of death ;
but whether the banifliment of the Quakers, upon
pain of death, wasjuftor no? If it were ever fo ma-
nifefl that a magiflrate might banifh, and put to death
in cafe of not obferving his law of banifhment; yet
that doth not prove that every law of banifhment is
juft, and that the death of fuch as do not obey their
law is jufb alfo. He may make a law in his own felf-
will, pride, paffion, refolvednefs, and ftifFnefs of fpi-
rit, and fo draw the fufferings of perfons under that
law (either of banifhment or death) upon his own
head. Now the Quakers coming in the name of the
Lord, by his commifTion, and upon his work (whom
all the magiftrates of the earth are to reverence and
bow before), if magiftrates will prefume to m.ake a
law to banilh them upon pain of death y yet if the
Lord require them either to ftay or return, they know
whom to fear and obey, which delivers them from the
fear of them who can only torture and kill the body :
and they had rather die in obedience to the Lord, than
feel the weight of his hand upon their fouls for their
difobedience. It is not in this cafe as it is in ordi-
nary banifhment upon civil accounts, where it is in
mens will and power to abftain from the place from
which they are banifhed -, but they mufl fulfil the
will of their Lord, not at all regarding what befals
them therein.
4, The fourth ground or confideration to juflify
their law of banifhment and death againft the Qua-
kers, is drawn from the right and propriety which every
man hath in his own houje and land^ and from the unrea-
Jonabknejs
THE Grounds or. Causes, &c, 385
Jonahlenejs and injurioufnefs of another* s intruding and en-
tering into it^ having no authority thereto ; yea^ and when
the owner doth exprejly prohibit and forbid the fame. And
that if any prefume to enter thus, without legal authority y
he might jujlly be impleaded as a thief or ufurper j and if in
cafe of violent ajjault he fhould be killed y his blood would be
upon his own head. Whereupon it is argued thus : that //
private perfons may in fuch a cafe fhed the blood of fuch
intruder y may not the like be granted to them that are the
publick keepers and guardians of the commonwealth ? Have
not they as much power to take away the lives of fuch, as,
contrary to prohibition^ fhall invade or intrude into their
publick poffeffions or territories ? And that the Quakers
do thus invade and intrude without authority, they
argue thus : For who can believe that Quakers are con-
ftablesy to intrude themfelves, invade, and enter, whether
the colony will or no, yea, contrary to their exprefs prohi-
bition ? If in fuch violent and bold attempts they lofe their
lives, they may thank themfelves, as the blameable caufcy
and authors of their own death.
Anfw. It is no invafion, nor intrufion, for any mef-
fengers and fervants of the Lord to enter into any
part of his earth at his command, upon his errand,
and about his work. And if any fhould be fo fent to
the houfe of a particular perfon, to deliver a meflage
from the Lord, and the owner of the houfe, inftead
of hearing and confidering his meffage in meeknefs
and fear, whether it were of God or no, fhould be
rough and violent with him, and command him off
before he had delivered his meflage, and either upon
his not immediately going off, or his return with ano-
ther meffage (for the Lord, if he pleafe, may fend
him again) fhould fall upon him and kill him j upon
whofe head would this man's blood light ?
2. If men will needs have it go for an invafion, it
is an invafion of a fpiritual nature, and the defence
from it cannot be by carnal weapons. Killing of
mens perfons, is not the way to fupprefs either truth
or error. How have the Papifls been able to defend
their kingdom, or fupprefs the truth by their bloody
F f 4 weapons ?
386 An Examination of
weapons? They may prevail in their territories a-
gainfl mens perfons for a feafon, but the truth will
have a time of dominion, and will in the mean time
be getting ground in mens minds and confciences, by
the fufferings of the witnelTes to it. Nay, my friends,
if ye will defend yourfelves from this invafion, ye
muft get better weapons.
3. Is this your rule concerning any that fhall come
in the name of the Lord ; that if they be not con-
fiables, or other earthly officers, ye will banifli them,
and put them to death ? Is the Lord of heaven and
earth limited to fend none but conftables among you ?
Well ! ye may judge by your law while your day
lafts ; but the Lord in his day will clear his fervants
and meffengers, though they have not been conftables,
and lay it upon the head of them who have unright-
eoufly fhed it.
5. The fifth ground or confideration, whereby they
juftify their law of banifhment and death againft the
Quakers, is this. Corruption of mind and judgment is a
great infeUion and defilement^ and it is the Lord's com-
mand that Juch corrupt perjons be not received into the
houfe ; which plainly enough implies that the houJJoolder
hath power enough to keep them out, and that it was not
in their power to come, if they pleafed, whether the houjh-
clder would or no. And if the father of the family muji
keep them out of his houfe, the father of the common-
wealth muji keep them out of his jurifdi^lion (they being
nurftng fathers andnurfing mothers by the account of God).
So that what an houfloolder may do againft perfons that are
infected with the plague or pefiilence (who may kill them,
if otherwife he cannot keep them out of his houfe), a ma-
giflrate may do the like for his fubje^s. And if fijeep
and lambs cannot be preferved from the danger of wolves,
hut the wolves will break in amongfi them, it is eafy to
fee what the pepherd or keeper of the fJjecp may lawfully
do infuch a cafe.
Anfw. It is granted, that the corruption of the
mind and judgment is defiling and infectious; and
therefore every heart that knows the precioufnefs of
truth.
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 387
tjuth, is to wait on the Lord in his fear, in the ufe of
thofe means which he hath appointed for prefervation
from it ; but that killing the perfons is one of the
means God hath appointed, this is (till the thing in
controverfy, and is ftill denied to be either proper in
itfelf, or fandified by God to this end. The apoftie
fays, " There muft be hereticks, that they which are
" approved may be made manifefl:," i Cor. xi. lo.
but he doth not fay, hereafter, when there are Chrif-
tian magiftrates, they muft banifh or cut off the
hereticks, as fail as they fpring up j but God hath
ufe of thefe things for the exercifing of the fpirits
of his people, and the truth gains by overcomino-
them in the faith and power of the fpirit. And fo,
"as touching wolves, the apoftie Paul called the elders
of the church of Ephefus, and told them, that " after
*' his departure, grievous wolves fhould enter in a-
*' mong them, not fparing the flock," Ads xx. 28,
29. — 31. The Lord hath put into the hands of his
ihepherd a fword, which will pierce to the heart of
the wolf; he (landing faithful in the power of God,
in the life of righteoufnefs, need not fear any wolf;
but by the power of the fpirit, and pre fence of the
truth, (hall be able to preferve the confciences of
his flock pure to God. What kind of (hepherd is he,
that cannot defend his flock without the magiftrate's
fword ? But take away that, the wolf breaks in, and
preys upon his (hcep. Surely the true (hepherd, who
knows the virtue of the fword God hath put into his
hand, will never call to the magiftrate for his fword
of another nature, which cannot touch the wolf, the
heretick, the feducer, but only fle(h and blood, with
which the miaifters of Chrifl: never wreftled nor
fought. And this is not the way to preferve the
hearts and confciences of the flock (it rnay perhaps
ftrike terror into the fleflily nature) ; but their con-
fciences are fo much the more apt to be wrought
upon by the doftrines, patience, and fulfering of
thofe who are thus dealt with. The magiftrate's
fword being thus ufed, doth not at all preferve that
which
388 An Examination of
which is tender, but hurts it, difengages it, ftirs up
a witnefs in it againft thofe that thus go about to de-
fend that which they call truth, that build up their
Jerufalem with blood, and govern their flock with
force, affrighting them from that which they| call er-
ror, and affrighting them into that which they call
truth, with an outward fword j whereas the true tem-
ple is built in peace, governed in peace, maintained
in peace, defended by peace ; and error and hereticks
difpelled by the power of the fpirit, manifefting the
deceit to the confcience j and not by the fword of the
magiilrate, dealing with them as with worldly male-
fadors. Now this I fay as before the Lord ; the true
Ihepherd, who hath received the fword of the fpirit,
and hath tried the virtue of it, cannot diftruft it, can-
not defire the magiflrate's help by outward force
againft errors or herefies ; he that looketh upon it as
infufficient, and calleth to the magiftrate for his
fword, plainly difcovers that he hath not received, or
knoweth not the virtue of the true one, and difho-
noureth both his mafter's work and weapon.
For that place of 2 John, ver. 10. It is one thing for
man not to receive a man into his houfe, and another
thing for him to kill that perfon who offers to come
againft his will. Do ye believe in your hearts, that
the apoftles intent was to direft the Chriftians to
whom he wrote, to keep them out by violence, and
to kill them if they could not otherwife keep them
out ? Though the parellel is not proper j for God hath
often fent his fervants into countries, cities, and
places of refort, againft the will of the rulers, priefts,
and falfe prophets, but never to break violently into
any man's houfe.
The magiftrate keeping in his place, cannot but be
a nurfing father to the church j for let him draw out his
fword againft that wickednefs which is proper for him
to cut down, it will exceedingly help to nurfe up the
church J but where hath the magiftrate commiffion to
meddle with any of the fpiritual ftiepherd's work ?
Nay, his fword was never appointed to cut down er-
rors.
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 389
rors, or herefies, or bereticks ; but the fword of the
fpirit, in the hand of the fpiritual fhepherd. God
hath fet up an hedge between thefe two powers, which
he that breaketh down layeth both wafte as to their
true ufe, virtue, and order ; and this antichrift hath
long done in many appearances. The bringing of
thefe two to rights, fetting each in its proper place,
will give fuch a wound to his kingdom, as he will
not be able to recover. And mark this by the way ;
antichrift hath all along made ufe of the magiftrate's
fword to flay the lambs, under the name of hereticks,
fedtaries, wolves, blafphemers •, but Chrift comes -with
the fpirit of his mouth to flay antichrift, 2 Thef. ii. 8.
That is the fword all the hereticks, feducers, and
falfe prophets were flain with in the apoftles days be-
fore the apoftafy •, and that is the fword that antichrift
(who hath made ufe of the other fword againft Chrift
all along the apoftafy) fhall be flain with after the
apoftafy. When Chrift comes to fight againft anti-
chrift (who hath cruelly torn, rent and butchered his
people under the name of wolves) he will take his own
fword, which is the word of his mouth. That did
the work at firft; that muft do the work again. But
in the midft, between thefe two feafons, there hath
been bad work made with the magiftrate's fword ;
the witnefl^es, upon every appearance and breaking
forth of God's truth in them, having been liable to
feel the fmart of it.
6. Their fixth and laft ground and confideration,
v«/hereby they juftify their law of baniftiment and
death againft the Quakers, is this. // was the com-
mandment of the Lord Jefus unto his difciples^ that when
they were perjecuted in one city^ they fljouLd flee unto ano-
ther J and accordingly it was his own prattice^ and thi
practice of the Jaints^ who^ when they have been perfecutedy
have fled away for their own fafety.
This (they fay) reafon requires y that when men have
liberty unto it, they fhould not refuje Jo to do -, becauje
otherwije they will be guilty of tempting God, and of in-
curring their own burty as having a fair way open for
the
390 An Examination of
the avoiding thereof^ hit they needlejly expofe them/elves
thereto. Whereupon they argue thus.
If therefore that which is done againji the ^lakers were
indeed perfecutiony what fpirit may they be thought to be
aEled and led by, who are in their a5iings Jo contrary to
the commandment and example of Chrijl and his faints in
the cafe of pcrfeciition, which thefe men fuppoje to he their
cafe ? Plain enough it is, that if their cafe were the fame,
their actings are not the fame, but quite contrary. So that
Chriji and his faints were led by one fpirit^ and thefe peo-
ple by another : for rather than they would not fhew their
contempt of authority, and make difiurbance amongji his
people, they chufe to go contrary to the exprefs direction of
Jefus Chrifl, and the approved example of his faints, to
the hazard and peril of their own lives.
Anfw. Affli6tions, tribulations, trials, perfecutions
arc not to be fled from, but to be borne and pafTcd
through to the kingdom, into which the entrance is
through many of thele, Afts xiv. 22. and Chrifl faith,
" he that vvill be his difciple, muft take up his crofs .
*' daily, and follow him," Luke ix. 23. Now perfe-
cution for Chrift is part of the crofs, which the dif-
ciple muft not run away from, but take up, and fol-
low Chrift with. Yea, the apoftle is very exprefs,
2 Tim. iii. 12. " Yea, and all that will live godly in
«' Chrift Jefus, fliall fufFer perfecution." It is the
portion of all, and all muft bear it. The world hateth
and perfecuteth (in fome degree or other) all that are
not of the world; and all muft be content with their
daily portion thereof, waiting on God for ftrength to
bear the crofs, not flying it; and the apoftle com-
mends the Hebrews for " enduring the great fight of
« afflictions," Heb. x. 32, ^Z^ 34. The Jews were
zealous for the law and ordinances of Mofes, and
o-rievous perfecutions of the Chriftians (efpecially of
fuch as had been of them before) : now the Chriftians
are commended for ftanding the fliock, for bearing
the brunt, for not fearing the lofs of name, goods,
life, or any thing, but eyeing the heavenly treafure.
So Chrift, warning of perfecution, bids the church
to
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 391
to *' fear none of thofe things which (he fhould fuf-
" fer," but " be faithful unto the death :" and he
that thus overcometh, fliould not be hurt of the fe-
cond death," Rev. ii. 10, 11. and the apoflle Peter
fays, " If ye fuffer for righteoufnefs fake, happy are
*« ye : and be not afraid of their terror, neither be
" troubled," i Peter iii. 14. and the apoftle Paul
bids the Philippians " fbandfaft in one Ipirit, with one
*< mind (Iriving together for the faith of the gofpel,
" and in nothing terrified by your adverfaries, which
" is to them an evident token of perdition, but to
'' you of falvation, and that of God." And the fame
apoille who commended the Hebrews, as having done
well in bearing the great fight of afflidions, encoura-
ged them to go on ftill, and not to be " weary or
" faint in their minds, but refift even to blood," eye-
ing Chrift, who endured the contradiftion of finners
to the very laft, Heb. xii. 3, 4. And he pradifed as
he taught, for he was not terrified with bonds or af-
fiiflions, nor accounted his life dear unto him -, but
that which was dear unto him was the ferving of his
Lord and Mailer, in preaching and witneffing to his
truths, as his fpirit led him, Ads xx. 23, 24. trufting
in the Lord to uphold him in enduring of them, or
to deliver him out of them, as he pleafed, 2 Tim.
iii. II. but that which he, and the reft of the apoftles
and faints of Chrift, applied themfelves to in cafe of
perfecution, was to fufi^er, i Cor. iv. 12. And who-
ever they are that will be Chrift's faithful difciples
now, muft look to meet with the fame crofs as they
did, not only from the profane world, but from the
worldly profefibrs alfo : for there were not only zea-
lous worldly profefibrs in that age, but the fame fpirit
hath remained in every age fince, which fi:ill gets into
the beft form it can (when need requires) to oppofe
the power thereby. And they that are in the Ipirit
and in the power, muft expeft to be perfecuted by
fuch ; and they are to bear it, and not to fly from
it, unlefs by a particular call and difpenfation from
the Lord for a particular fervicc i which is not the
• rule
392 An Examination of
rnle (as it is here made) but rather an exception from
the rule. So Chrift fending his difciples in hafte to
preach the gofpel, bids them not falute in the way,
Luke X. 4. nor be flopped by perfecution, but haften
to publifh the found of Chrift's coming in the cities
of Ifrael, " For the harveftwas great, but the labour-
" ers few," Mat. ix. 37. and yet notwithftanding all
the hafte they could make, they fhould not have
<' gone over the cities of Ifrael, before the Son of man
" come," Mat. x. 23. There is a time to fuffer per-
fecution, and a time to flee from perfecution ; and
both thefe are to be known in the Lord, and to be
obeyed in the leadings of his fpirit : but to lay it down
as a general rule for Chriftians to obferve, that when
they are perfecuted, they Ihould flee j this is exprefly
contrary to the fcriptures afore-mentioned, which fhew
that Chriftians are not generally to flee, but to ftand
in the fervice and work to which they are called;
bearing witnefs not only by believing and publiftiing,
but alfo by fuflfcring for the teftimony of the truth.
They are Chrift's foldiers, and their duty is to ftand in
the battle, and bear all the fhot and perfecutions of
the enemy : if God call them off' to any other fervice,
that is a fufficient warrant for them i but flying upon
other terms may prove a great diftionour to their
Mafter, and to his caufe and truth, and may be the
occafion of a great lofs to their fpirits, who are {o
tempted to flee. Neither is this bearing the brunt
of perfecutions, and ftanding in God's work and fer-
vice (notwithftanding them all even unto death) any
tempting of God, but an obedient taking up of the
crofs according to his will and command. And
whereas you plead that reafon requires it ; what kind
of reafon is it which bids avoid the crofs of Chrift, and
flee for fafety ? And what kind of fpirit is that,
which preacheth this dodtrine -, laying it down as a
general rule, for Chriftians to flee when they are per-
fecuted ? Is it not that fpirit which would fain be at
eafe in the flefti, infomuch as itfelf will rather per-
fecute, than be difturbed in its flefhly liberty, though
it
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 393
it is very unwilling to bear the reproach of being ac-
counted a perfccutor ? Ah ! how did the Jews cry out
againft their fathers for killing the prophets, and veri-
ly thought if they had lived in their days, they (hould
by no means have done it : and yet the fame fpirit was
in them, though they faw it not, but thought them-
felves far from it. Tha^t which blinded them was a
wrong knowledge of the fcriptures, and a great zeal
and devotion about their temple, worlhip, and ordi-
nances, without a fenfible feeling of the guidance of
God's fpirit. The fame fpirit that deceived them,
layeth the fame fnare in thefe days, and men fwallow
it as greedily, and with as great confidence as they
did i the zealous profeflbrs of religion, for the gene-
rality, ftill becoming perfecutors of the prefent ap-
pearance of truth, not knowing what they do.
Thus in the fear of the Lord God, and in love to
your fouls with a meek and gentle fpirit (not being
offended at what ye have done, but looking over it
to the Lord, who bringeth glory to his name, and ad-
vantage to his truth, by the fufferings and death of his
faints) have I anfwered your grounds and confidera-
tions ; and in the fame fear, love, and meeknefs, have
I fome things further to propofe to your confidera-
tions, which are of great concernment to you, and
deferve to be weighed by an equal hand in the equal
balance, without prejudice or partiality.
I. Confider meekly and humbly, whether the fcrip-
ture be the rule of the children of the new covenant?
For if the fcripture was not intended by God for the
rule, and ye take it to be the rule, then ye may eafily
miftake the way to eternal life, and alfo err in your
underftanding and ufe of the fcriptures -, making fuch
an ufe of them as they were never intended for, and
fo miffing of the true ufe and intent of them.
Now that the fcripture was not intended, nor given
forth by God to be the rule of the children of the
new covenant -, befides our faithful teflimony from the
fight of the thing in the true eternal light, weigh our
arguments
294 ^^ Examination of
arguments from the fcripturej many are mentioned
in opr writings •, confider at prefent of thefe three.
1. The fcripiure is an outward rule or iawj but the
fcripture faith, the law of the new covenant fhall be
an inward law. It is written in the prophets, that all
the children of the new covenant, or New Jerufalem,
fliall be taught of the Lord, Ifa. liv. 13. who teach-
eth them inwardly by his fpirit, and writeth his law
in their hearts, Jer. xxxi. 33, 34. and after this man-
ner did the Lord take his people into covenant with
himfelf, and teach them in the apoftles days, i John
ii. 27. The covenant is inward, the teacher inward,
the writing inward, the law inward : and there it is
to be read, learned, and known, where the fpirit
teacheth and writeth it.
2, Scripture (or the writings of Mofes and the pro-
phets) was not the law of the children of the new
covenant (as fuch), not in the time of the old cove-
nant. The law of Mofes was the rule of their out-
ward ftate, it was the rule of the outward Ifrael, but
not the rule of the inward Ifrael j no not then in thofe
days.
In Deut. xxix. i. Mofes makes a covenant with
Ifrael by exprefs command from God, befides the for-
mer covenant which he made with them in Horeb.
And he faith, the commandment of this covenant is
not to be looked for where the other was written, but
in another place, in a place nearer to them j even in
their mouth, and in their heart ; there they were to
read, hear, and receive the commandment of this
covenant. " For this commandment which I com-
" mand thee this day, it is not hidden from thee,
*' neither is it far off," Deut. xxx. 11. *' it is not in
" heaven," ver. 12. " neither is it beyond the fea,"
ver. 13. " but the word is very nigh unto thee, in
" thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayft do
" it," ver. 14. " and this was the way of life then,"
ver. 15. " See (faith Mofes) I have fet before thee
" this day life and good, and death and evil." Here
thy eternal happinefs depends j obey this word, and
live i
THE Grounds or Causes, Sec* 39^
live J difobey it and die. And if they had kept to
this word, they would alfo have walked in obedience
to the law; but neglecting this, they could never
keep the law, but ftill came under the curfe of it,
and mifled of the blefiings. They thought to pleafe
God with facrifices, and oil, and incenfe, and obferv-
ing new moons and fabbaths, wherein the Lord ftill
rejedled them, for want of their obedience to this
word: and the prophets ftill guide them to this word,
bidding them " circumcife their hearts," which alone
can be done by this water. Yea, after much conteft
between the Lord and them, when they feemed very
defirous to pleafe the Lord with what he Ihould re-
quire, whether " burnt-offeringSj calves, rams, or
" oil," in great plenty ; the prophet lays by all
that, and points them to the obedience of this word,
as the way to pleafe God, and as the only thing that
ht required of them : *' He hath fhewed thee, O man !
*^ what is good -, and what doth the Lord require of
** thee, but to do juftly, and to love mercy, and to
" walk humbly with thy God?" Micah vi. 8. All
this is written in thy heart, O man ; read there, obey
that word, that is the thing that God requires. So
David's law was the word written in his heart ; he
faw through facrifices and burnt-offerings, to the in-
ward writing, and this made him wifer than all his
teachers, who were bufied about the outward. The
outward law was but a Ihadow of good things to
come, it made nothing perfedl j but David knew a
perfe6l law, *' The law of the Lord is perfe6t, con-
** verting the foul," Pfal. xix. 7.
3. The fcriptures of the New Teftament never
call themfelves the rule, but they call another thing
the rule ; they call the writings of God's fpirit, in
the hearts of his people, the laws of the new cove-
nant, Heb.viii. 10. They call Chrift " the Way, the
" Truth, the Life," John xiv. 6. (The way is the
rule, the truth is the rule, the life is the rule) They
call the new creature the rule ; walking according to
which, the peace and mercy is received and enjoyed.
Vol. L G <? Gal.
2gS An Examination of
Gal. vi. 1 6. They refer to the comforter, as the guide
into all truth, John xvi. 13. yea, as the connpafs of
all truth, wherein the believer is to have his whole
life and courfe, Gal. v. 25. Live in the fpirit, walk
in the fpirir, follow the fpirit -, keep within that com-
pafs, and ye cannot err. A man may err in under-
Handing and interpreting of fcriptures; but he that
hath received the fpirit, knoweth the fpirit, follow-
eth the fpirit, keepeth to the fpirit ; fo far as he doth
fo,' he cannot poffibly err. So faith John, writing
concerning feducers, warning againft them, i John
ii. 26. " Ye have received an anointing, which teach-
** eth you of all things." Keep to the teachings of
that in every thing, and ye are hfc. But may we
not be deceived ? Nay, the anointing keeps from all
the deceit in the heart, and from all the deceits of
feducers ? *' It is truth, and no lie," ver. 27. and it
leads into all truth, and out of every liej and this
will teach you to abide in him. In whom ? In the
word which was from the beginning, which is ingraft-
ed into the heart of every believer, and into which
the heart of every believer is ingrafted ; and fo he
truly is in the vine, and the fap of the vine runs up
into him, which makes him fruitful to God ; he
abiding in the word which he hath heard from the
beginning, and the word which was from the begin-
ning abiding in him, ver. 24. And the apoftle Paul
faith exprefly, that the righteoufnefs of faith comcth
by the hearing of this word, making the fame word
the rule to the children of the new covenant now, as
Mofes faid was the commandment* of God to them,
quoting this place of Mofes for it, Rom. x. 6, &c.
So that Paul, indeed, taught nothing but Adafes and
the prophets ; pointing to the very fame word and
commandment of eternal life, as Mofes had done,
*' This is the word of faith which we preach j" that
word which Mofes taught, which he faid was nigh in
the heart and in the mouth (no man need afcend up
to heaven, or go down to the deep, or feek any
where elfe for it) that is the very thing we point you
tOi
THE Grounds or Cau3es, &c. 397
tD; that is the word of faith, that is the command*
inent of life. And with what zeal would Paul (were
he now alive in the body) declare againfl: fuch, who
Ihould overlook or deny this word, and {ct up his
writing, with the writings of the reft of the apoftles,
for a rule inftead thereof? Yea I could fhew yet fur-
ther, how the fpirit of prophecy, or teftimony of
Jefus, or living appearance of God in the heart, hath
been a rule to the witnefles againfl; antichrifli's deceit,
all along the night of apoftafy. Rev. xi. 3. — xix. 10.
though they themfelves, being in the night, difl:in6t-
ly knew not what was their rule ; but by a fecret
breath of life were quickened, guided, preferved, and
in it accepted: but thefe things will open of them-
felvesj as the mift is expelled, and the veil rent which
hath overfpread all nations, and covered profefTors
generally in this night of antichriftian darknefs, and
univerfal apoftafy from the living power.
2. Confider whether the fcripture be your rule or
no ? That is, whether in finglenefs of heart ye wait
on the Lord, to open the fcriptures by his fpirit, and
to keep out your carnal reafon from thence (which
cannot underftand them, but will be wrefting them,
and making them fpeak as it would have them); or
whether ye take fcope to fearch into them with that
part, which ever was fhut out from the right know-
ledge of them. *' The natural man underfliandeth
" not the things of the fpirit of God." The fpirit of
the Lord alone underftandeth the meaning of his own
words, and he alone gives the underftanding of them,
which he gives not to the wife fearcher and difputer
(nor to the prudent proftflbr, Mat. xi. 25.) but to
the babe which he begets, to which he gives the
kingdom, and opens the words which the fcripcurc
fpeaks concerning the kingdom. " The wifdom of
*' the flelh is enmity againfl: God-," and if that fearch
into the fcriptures, it will gather only a knowledge
fuitable to its enmity. Thus the Jews were great
enemies, and fl:rong enemies, by the knowledge which
they had gathered out of the fcriptures written to
G g 2 themj
3C)8 An Examination of
them •, and the fame fpirit hath alfo wound itfelf into
the fcriptures written fince : and as then that fpirit
fought againft Chrift and his apoftles, with thofe very
fcriptures which the fpirit of Chrift had formerly-
written; fo the fame fpirit fights now againft the
lambs of Chrift, with the fcriptures which were writ-
ten fince. Yea, the great ftrong-hold of antichrift
at this day, is fcripture interpreted by the flefhly wif-
dom : for antichrift comes not in a diredl denial of
Chrift or fcriptures (he is too cunning to be found
there), but bends them afide by the fleftily wifdom to
ferve the fleftily will, and thus undermines the fpirit,
and exalts the flefti, by a fleftily underftanding and in-
terpretation of thofe very fcriptures which were writ-
ten by the fpirit againft the flefli. And through this
miftake it is that feme innocently cry up things prac-
tifed at the firft fpringing up of truth, not feeing of
what nature they were, and upon what account they
were done, and what of them were caft off^ by the
fame fpirit, which before had led to the ufe of them,
though fcripture exprefly teftifieth thereof. For, Rev.
xi. I, 1. there was the meafuring of the building
which God's own fpirit had built, part whereof was
referved for God, part given to the Gentiles, or un-
circumcifed in heart, who are now the Gentiles, fince
the breaking down of the former diftinftion betwixt
Jew and Gentile. That which God referved for
himfelf was, " the altarj the temphy the worjhippers
" therein ;'' all thefe are inward. The outward court
was given to the Gentiles^ to thofe who would be wor-
fhippers under the gofpel, and yet had not the cir-
cumcifion of the gofpel; to them the court which is
without the temple is given •, and this they get and
cry up, and tread under foot the holy city, tramp-
ling upon the inward, and undervaluing it. Chrift
•within, the fpirit within, the law within, the power
within, becomes a reproach ; and this they have power
to do, even to keep down the inward, and cry up
the outward, all the time of the forty-two months j
and to perfecute and flay the witneflTes whom God
raifed
THE Grountds or Causes, Scc. 299
raifed up to teftify for the inward, and againft the out-
ward (as it is now in the Gentiles hands, and nnade
ufe of by them to keep down the inward) ; and fo the
building being thus taken down, the church flies out
of it into the wildernefs, where (he had a place pre-
pared of God for her, Rev. xii. 6. Mark : Ihe is not
where fhe was before ; that building was meafured,
taken down, and difpofed of by God : but fhe hath
been, and is all the rime of the forty-two months, or
twelve hundred and fixty days, in another place, pre-
pared by the fpirit of God for her, whither fhe fled,
and where fhe was nourifhed from the face of the fer-
pent, who was feeking after her, and making war
with the remnant of her feed, ver. 14, &c. And they
that feek for her now in her former building, will mifs
of her, and may meet with another woman, which
(in feveral appearances and difguifes, and pradlifing of
ordinances appertaining to the outward court), blaf-
phemes the holy city, the true temple, altar, and wor-
Ihippers. Happy is he that can read this j for it is
the myftery of this book, fealed from all the Gentiles
and worfliippers in the outward court.
Many forts cry up the fcriptures for their rule ; but
which of them is taught by the fpirit to keep the
carnal part out of the fcriptures ? Which of them
keeps out their own will and underflanding, receiving
their knowledge of fcriptures from that fpirit which
wrote them ? Do not men rather gather a knowledge
in the flefh, and then grow flrong, and wife, and
able to difpute, and confident in their own way, and
become fierce defpifers of thofe who cannot own their
interpretation of thcfe fcriptures ? And thus the mind
of God, the true meaning of the fcriptures, is not
their rule; but an image which they have formed out
of it ; a meaning which their wit hath ftrongly ima-
gined and fenced with arguments, and the real mind
and intent of the fpirit is hid from them. So by this
means many both deceive their own fouls, and help
to deceive the fouls of others, miffing of the plain-
nefs and fimplicity of the fpirit, and gathering fenfes
G g 3 in
400 An Examination of
in the wit and fubtilty of the flefhly part, where the
ferpentine wifdom lodgeth, and twines about the tree
of knowledge. Now what do thefe men do ? Whom
do they ferve ? And whither do they run themfelves,
and lead many other poor fouls, whom they pretend
to be helpful to fave ?
3. Confider whether ye did not flee from the crofs,
in your tranfplanting into New-England, and fo let
up that part in you there, which fhould have been
kept down by the crofs here, and gave advantage to
that fpirit to get ground in you, which you outwardly
fled from ? The fafety is in (landing in God's counfel,
in bearing the crofs, in fuffering for the teftimony of
his truth; but if at any time there be a fleeing of
the crofs (whether the inward or the outward) with-
out God's direftion, the evil fpirit is thereby let in,
his part fl:rengthened, and the life weakened. That
fpirit which would fave itfelf from the crofs, is the
fame with that which would perfecute that which will
not fave itfelf. Mark how Iharply Chrift fpeaks to
Peter upon this account, when he would have tempt-
ed him to avoid the crofs : " Get thee behind me,
'* Satan ; thou art an ofl^ence unto me : for thou fa-
<f vourefl: not the things of God,'* &c. Mat. xvi. 23.
The feed ofl^ers up all to God in his fervice, will fufler
any thing for his name's fake, even the lofs of liber-
ty, goods, yea, life itfelf, for the teftimony to the
leaft truth. Now that which fays to the feed, when
fufferings come for the teftimony of truth, " avoid it,
" fave thyfelf, let not this be unto thee," or the like,
that is Satan : and if Satan be not caft behind, but
that counfel hearkened unto which leadeth from the
crofs, Satan is followed. And if ye fled your proper
crofs, in your removal from hence unto New-England,
though ye meet with many others there, yet hereby ye
loft your proper advantage of ferving and honouring
God in your generation ; yea, ye loft that which would
have kept your fpirits tender, and open to the voice
of God's fpirit -, and' then no marvel if afterwards ye
grew hard, and fit to perfecute, who ficft had fhew-
cd
i
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 40T
ed yourfelves unfic and unworthy to fuffer. Ye might
meet v;ich many crofTes afterwards, which might nei-
ther be able to humble you, nor keep you tender, hav-
ing once loft that crofs which was appointed of God
to do it : for all croffes do not break, humble, or keep
the heart low and meek ; but fuch as are fent and
fancflified by God thereunto.
4. Confider, when ye came to New-England, whe-
ther tendernefs grew up in you, and was abundantly
exercifed towards fuch as might differ from you; or
whether ye were as eager for the way that ye thouo-ht
to be the right, as the Conformifts you fled from were
for the way they thought to be right ? When Ifrael
came out of Egypt into their own land, they were to
be tender even towards an Egyptian, much more to-
ward their own brethren. Now when ye were out of
danger of being perfecuted yourfelves, did ye lay a
foundation of tender ufage towards all that Ihould
differ from you ; or did you lay a foundation of per-
fecuting fuch as differ, and would fuffer none differing
from you, but perfecute them, juft as the bifhops per-
fecuted you ? Did ye flee the having of yourfelves
perfecuted ; or did ye flee the perfecuting fpirit ? For
if ye did flee only your own perfecutions, and not
the perfecuting fpirit in yourfelves, no marvel though
it fell a perfecuting fo foon as the fear of your own
perfecution was over. In this flefhly part there is a
perfecuting fpirit, which if it be not kept down by
the pov^er of God, though it loves not to be perfe-
cuted, yet will foon be perfecuting.
5. Did you feel yourfelves grow in the inv/ard life,
upon comiing into New-England; or did that begin
to flag and wither, and your growth chiefly confifl in
form and outward order, in which ye might eafily be
miffaken too ? For many who have given a true tef-
timony, and have been faithful in helping to pull
down, yet have erred when they came to build up.
That fpirit which is kept low by perfecution, and gives
forth its teftimony again fl things in fear and tremb-
ling, is many times exalted when it is out of perfe-
G g 4 cution;
402 An Examination op
cution ; and can weigh, debate, confider, and refolvc
things in that part which cannot build for God.
Ephraim, under the rod, fpake trembling; but the
rod being off, he could exalt his own wifdom, and
offend in Baal. That worfhip and way of govern-
ment and order which a man takes up in the flefhly
reafon, and which falls in with the worldly interei\
he ferves not the true God in, but Baal. This it is
that deftroys and eats out the life of religion in many;
namely, the mixing of it with their worldly intereft :
for then the offence of the crofs ceafes to them, and
they begin to be offended at others on whom the crofs
is flill laid by God, thinking that they may comply
with them in joining their religion and worldly inte-
reft together, and fo avoid the crofs as well as they.
Nay, he that will follow Chrift, muft take up the
daily crofs, even that crofs which God daily lays upon
him, who will ftill be requiring fomewhat which is
contrary to his own f^elhly part, and contrary to the
fiefhly part of thofe with whom he converfes. And
as this crofs is taken up, the worldly part is offended,
and the life grows, cutting down worldly interefts and
ways of religion daily ^ but as worldly interefts are
followed and kept up, the flefhly part thrives, and
the life decays and fuffers, even till at length it come
under death, and then death hath the dominion.
6, Confider whether your chief ftrength of fetting
up your church-government and order at firft, and of
bringing perfons into it, and of preferving them in it,
lie in the fpirit and fpiritual weapons, or in the flefh
and carnal weapons. If in the fpirit and fpiritual
weapons, then ye will be able, in God, to perfuade
mens confciences to it, and to preferve them by the
fame virtue and ftrength which perfuaded them; and
this ye will ftill have the main recourfe to ; but if in
carnal, then ye will have recourfe to the carnal i and
there will be your main confidence of keeping up
your church. For if it was built by that power, it
muft be upheld by that power; fo that take that away,
it falls. This is antichrift's ftrength i he fets up a
form
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 403
form in the wifdom, and maintains it by the outward
fword. Take him off from this, and put him to
gaining ground by the demonftration of the fpirit to
mens confciences as in the fight of God, or to pre-
ferving his ground fo, here he is at a lofs, and his
kingdom daily falls, even in the moil refined parts of
it. Let every church and people that nameth the
name of Chrifl, depart from the ways of antichrift,
and make the fpirit of Chrift their llrength : for that
is indeed the only (trength of the true religion, both
of the inward and outward part thereof j in that it be-
gins, by that it is preferved, and there alio it grows,
and is perfeded.
7. Confider (for it lies upon me to prefs it yet far-
ther, and lay it more home to you for your good)
whether the perfecuting fpirit did not take its advan-
tage of aflaulting you, upon your getting from under
the crgfs here, into New-England i and whether it
did not foon find a place in you there, and grow up
in you, and bring you from ftep to ftep to that degree
of hardnefs, that ye could at length even drink the
blood of the faints ?
That it was then the proper time for the perfecut-
ing fpirit to feek to get an entrance into you, is very
manifeft ; but whether it did get entrance or no, that
belongs to you narrowly to fearch and examine. When
ye were under the hatches, while ye yourfelves were
perfecuted, then there was little room for that fpirit
in you j then was not a proper time for your enter-
taining of it : but when ye v/ere at liberty to chufe a
way and form of worfliip, then was a proper time for
this temptation to prevail with you, of fetcing up your
own way, as the chief or only way; and, under a
pretence of zeal for God, to perfecute the breakinf^s
forth of his light in others. For it could not be ex-
pected that that fpirit fhould dircclly tempt you (who
had fuffered fo much by perfecution) fuddenly to be-
come perfecutors of others ; but to hide its bait under
a cover J and, under a pretence of zeal for God, his
truths, and way of worihip, to blind your eyes, and
draw
404 An Examination of
draw you afide into that which is indeed perfecution of
it. Sin is very deceitful, and feeks covers •, and oi
all fins perfecution has the moft need of covers, it is
of fo contrary a nature to the tender fpirit of the gof-
pel. Now when fin hath got its cover, then by de-
crees it hardens the heart, both from and againft the
truth. " Take heed," &c. faith the apoftle, *' left
" any of you be hardened through the deceitful nefs of
" fin " Heb. iii. 12, 1 2- And perfecution moft hard-
ens of any fin. How cruel, how bloody doth it make !
it even unmans men. Prifons, whips, cutting off of
cars, banifhment, death, all is little enough, if not
too little. And what reviling doth it fill mens pens
and tongues with, making them fo hot and paffionate,
that thev cannot equally confider the caufe ; but mif-
underfta'nd it, mifreprcfent it, and ftrive to make it
appear another thing, both to themfelves and others,
than indeed in plain truth it is. Look over your
writinc^s, confider your caufe again in a more meek
and upright fpirit, and ye yourfelves will eafily fee
how in your heat ye have miftaken, and dealt more
iniuriouily with others, than ye yourfelves were ever
dealt with.
There is a time of righteous judgment, wherein the
moft inward covers ftiall be ripped off, and the finner
appear what he isj and then the perfecutor fhall bear
that ftiame, that burden, that mifery, which is the
portion of that fpirit. It is but a fmall advantage to
it to cover its iniquity for a little moment. If ye
could make all the world believe that ye are not per-
fecutors, what would this profit you, if in the day of
the Lord ye ftiould be found fuch ? But having pro-
ceeded thus far, it is hard for you to confider and re-
treat. That fpirit hath too great advantage over you,
to make you accept of any cover it can now offer
you to hide yourfelves under. Oh ! that ye could fee
how ye have wrefted fcriptures, and what ftrange
kind of arguments ye have formed, to make that
which ye have done pafs with your own hearts, and to
make it appear fomewhat plaufible to others. Yet
all
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 405
all this will not do ; the eye of the Lord fees through
you ; and that light which ye reproach, makes you
manifeft to be at prefent in fubje6lion under the bloody-
dark power, who will hold you as long as he can,
and furnifh you with fuch weapons as he has, againlt
the Lamb and his followers. But ye come forth to
the battle in a bad day, for the light is arifen to' con-
quer, and is not now to be overcome with the dark-
nefs. And though ye meet the woman and her feed
with a flood of reproaches and perfecutions, yet that
will not flop her from coming forth out of the wil-
dernefs to (hew her beauty and innocency again in the
earth. Confider thefe things, and come out of this
hard fpirit into tendernefs (if it be polTible), that the
ftill, mtek, gentle fpirit of life may be your leader
from under all falfe covers into the truth itfelf; where
there is a gentle lying down with all that is of God,
and not fo much as an offence becaufe of any differ-
ence (much lefs heart-burnings and perfecutions);
but a fweet waiting on the Lord for every one's orowth
in their fevcral ranks and ftations.
Since my waiting on the Lord for the Pre-
fence and Guidance of his Spirit, in the ex-
amining the foregoing Grounds and Confidera-
tions, there came forth an Appendix to John
Norton's Book, wherein are laid down fome
further Grounds by way of juflifying of their
Proceedings ; which, for their Sakes, and like-
wife on the Behalf of the Truth and People
of God, I may alfo fay fome what to.
I. f I A H EY infmuatc an argument concerning /Z-'^
X not fuffering of evil, which (they fay) is com-
mon to all that fear God, with themfelves.
Anfw. Evil is to be refifted j but in God's way, ac-
cording to God's will, and not according to the will
of the tlelh. Spiritual evils are to be refilled (by and
in
4o6 An Examination of
in the faith) with fpiritual weapons, which God hath
appointed and fanftified thereto. Earthly evils, outr-
ward evils, tranfgrefTions of the juft law of the magi-
ftrate, are to be refifted by the fword of the magi-
ftrate. Here are the bounds which God hath fet ;
which he that tranfgrefTeth, finneth againft the Lord
and his own foul. But the believer is not to ftep out
of God's way to refift the magiftrate's evil, nor the
magiftrate to ftep out of God's way to refift: fpiritual
evil ; but both are to wait on the Lord for his blef-
ling on the means he hath appointed ^ and it is better
for each of them not to refift evil, but let it grow
upon them till the Lord pleafe to appear againft: it,
than to overcome it by an unrighteous weapon. " Wo
*' to them that go down to Egypt for help, and flay
" on horfes, and truft: in chariots," Ifa. xxxi. i.
2. A fecond argument is taken from the fole cauje of
their tranjplantingy which they Jay was to enjoy liberty y to
walk feaceably in the faith of the gojfely according to the
order of the gofpel.
Anjw. That there was an honeft: intent in many of
them in tranfplanting into New-England, I do not
doubt J though whether they had a fufficient warrant
from God to tranfplant, was doubted, and objected
againft: them by many of their confcientious fellow-
fufferers here in Old-England, who teftified to them
that they did believe it to be their duty not to fly,
but flay and bear their teflimony for God and his truth
by fuffering : and thjs had been a better way of refift-
ing that which was manifeft:ly evil, than of refifting
by the fword that for evil, which in due time they
themfelves may fee and acknowledge not to have been
fo. But if they did truly defire liberty, did not the
enemy tempt them to be felfifh, to feek it fo far as
might comprife themfelves, excluding fuch as might
differ from them, upon as jufl grounds as they them-
felves differed from others ? Did not they fet bounds
to the truth, and bounds to the fpirit of God, that
thus far it fhould appear, and no farther ? Whereas
God hath degrees of difcovering and leading out of
the
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 407
the antichriftian darknefs : and he that oppofeth the
next difcovery of truth, the next Hep out of Babylon,
is as real an enemy and perfecutor, as he that oppo-
fed the foregoing. In that they teftified againft the
bilhops, they did well j but if they will now fet up a
(land, either to themfelves or others, and not follow
the leadings of the Lamb, their life may be withered,
and they may perifh in the wildernefs, while others
are following the guide which they left (when they
fet up their (land) towards Canaan.
And as for walking peaceably ; that they might be
free from the fear of outward powers, having liberty
to try whatever pretends to be of God ; and if it ap-
pear error, be out of danger of having their confci-
ences forced; this is a great mercy. But if they
would live fo peaceably as that no difcovery of God
further fhould ever ftart up among them, nor the
Lord himfelf be fuffered to fend any of his fervants
with any further difcovery of light unto them, this is
not a peace which God allows to any man, nor which
his people defire ; but only the carnal part, which
loves to be at eafe, and not to be at the pains of
trial in the fear of the Lord, of what comes forth in
his name. And who walk thus, walk not in the faith,
nor in the order of the gofpel, which doth not fud-
denly rejed any thing, but firft thoroughly tries both
do6trines and fpirits, whether they be of God cr no.
He that rejeds that which is of God, cannot thrive
or profper in his fpirit ; and he that tries in the hafti-
nefs of the flefh, and not in the patience or meeknefs
of the fpirit, is in great danger of rejedling whatever
of God appears.
But can they not enjoy their own liberty, and walk
in the gofpel, and manage the fword of the fpirit
againft errors and fpiritual enemies (according to the
order of the gofpel), which is mighty through God
to cut down the flefli, unlefs they get the magiftrate's
fword to cut down every appearance of truth (and
every perfon holding forth any truth) but what they
themfelves (hall own^ Cannot the fpirit of God lead
into
4o8 Am Examination of
into further truth than they were led into when thef
•went iHto New-England ? And may not the Lord take
his own time to dilcover it to them, and to lead them
into it? So that when firfl: it appears, it may be hid
from them : and will nothing ferve them but the ma-
giftrate's fword to cut it down fo foon as ever it ap-
pears ? Did not the bifliops of England think theirs
to be the gofpei-order, and cried againft the Non-
conformifts, that they could not live peaceably for
them, but they diilurbed the order of the church,
and drew mens minds from matters of faith and edi-
fication ? Surely the defire of fuch a kind of peace
(as may flop the breaking-forth of light to the people
of God for their further leading out of Babylon) is
not good. This is rather a fieflily cafe, than true
peace, which the Lord hath not allotted to his peo-
ple; but they are to wait for the pouring down of his
fpirit, and the opening of the deep myfteries of his
life in the latter days, and to try what comes forth
in his name, whether it be of him nor no, that they
may not lofe the good as its breaks forth, nor be de-
ceived with the evil, as it gets into and appears in
the fhape and likcnefs of the good.
Now the drift of the argument lies in this, that
this liberty they cannot enjoy without a non- toleration of
others. Toleration of any but themfelves, and their
own way, difturbs their peace, their faith, their order.
Anjw. The true liberty, the true faith, the true
order of the gofpel, was enjoyed formerly, without
this power of fupprefling others by carnal weapons^
and violent laws. Yea, this power of fupprefling
others, and of compelling to a way of religion and
worfhip, came up with antichrifl j and that power
which came up with antichrift, is not of Chrift.
" The dragon gave his power to the beaft," Rev.
xiii. 4. and another beaft rifeth up with '* horns like
" a lamb," ver. 11. and this beafl compelleth, ver.
12. Mark: the beaft which appeared with horns like
a lamb, as if it had Chrilt's power, and maketh fire
to come down from heaven on the earth ir^ the fight
of
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 409
of men (and who can deny thefe to be of God, that
can do fuch things!) this very bead compelleth, or
caufeth to worfliip, as vcr. 12. So this bead, which
appears like a lamb, joins with the firft beafb whom it
had fee up under another appearance, and both compel
to the worfhipping of an image of the truth (of fuch
an image of the truth as they think good to advance),
and feduce from the truth itfelf. And he that will
not be deceived with their image, with their likenefs,
with that which they call the truth and way of God,
or order of the gofpel, and fo fliall refufe to bow
thereto, he lliall not be permitted either to buy or
fell, ver. 16, 17. There is no living as men within
their bounds, unlefs they will bow to their image.
But the true Lamb doth not compel, but calls to wait
on the Father's drawings, till the Father by his fpirit
make willing. And though by the Lamb <* kino-s
" reign, and princes decree juftice," F'rov. viii. ir.
yet they never had any commiflion from him to force
men to that way of religion and worfhip, to which
the fpirit of the Lord alone can make them willing,
nor to fall upon them becaufe they were unwillino-.
This is from the dragon, where-ever it is found.
This then is the great matter of controverfy, you
account it your liberty not to tolerate ; and here ftands
your peace and religion (which was a liberty the true
Chriltians never had), and you cannot with patience
bear, any to teftify againfb you: and fo ye now fall
upon any that come to witnefs againft you, even as
ye yourfelves once fuffered when ye were witnefles.
But how can ye manifeft that God Ihall reveal no
truth, but what he reveals to you ? Or if he do, that
ye have liberty nOt to tolerate it, or the perfons that
hold it forth ? Wherefore confider ferioufly whether
this be a right liberty ye have aimed at: for if your
aim hath been at a liberty which is not granted of
God, at fuch a liberty as will not ftand with the li-
berty of his fpirit in his people, no marvel though ye
have run into indired means to attain it : and fo from
ftep to ftep have been led to the utmoft degree of
violence
4xo An Examination of
violence and perfecutioni and being engaged in it,
are now forced to feek for arguments to maintain it.
This argument is further inforced, by propofing the
inconfiderahlenejs of the Quakers fuffering of a non-to-
krationy compared with a mantfejl and greatejl hazard
of toleration unto the country •, their ahfence from hence is
710 detriment to them j their frefence here threatens no lefs
than the ruin of all to us, &c.
Anfw. As for outward detriment, the Quakers do
not confider that, in cafes of this nature j but that in
them which is born of God, hearing and receiving
his command, prefently obeys, waiting for his pre-
fence and power to carry through, and doth not at
all mind the hardihips to be met with. But the in-
ward detriment, arifing from difobedience to God,
is very great ; even the lofs of his fweet prefence,
life, and power at prefent, befides the utter hazard of
the foul : for that which draweth back from obedi-
ence to the fpirit of the Lord, the Lord hath no
pleafure in : and they have known the terrors of the
Lord to tiie difobedient ; therefore they may not pleafe
men in forbearing to go where he fends them j nor
({landing in his counfcl and power) do they fear them
which can kill the body; but they exceedingly dread
the death and lofs of their fouls, and him who hath
the power thereof.
And as for their prefence threatening the ruin of all to
you, that is but a mifapprehenfion. It may indeed be
ruin to that part in you which is wife and flrong,
without the prefence of the life of God; but the
eled, which is built upon the rock, cannot be ruined
by any appearance of God ; nay, nor by any appear-
ance of the powers of darkncfs againfl: God ; for the
gates of hell cannot prevail againji the true church. And
there is great advantage of errors and herefies to the
true church; for the life grows and gets ground by
a fair trial and overcoming of them, and the approv-
ed are thereby made manifeft, i Cor. xi. 19. Now
what kind of church is yours, which is in fuch dan-
ger of being ruined by that whereby the true church
was
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 411
was advantaged ? So that to plead that either you muft
fuffer your religion, your fouls, your liberties to he made a
prey of, or take this courfe to defend them, is very in-
confequentj and a ftrong argument againft you that
yours is not the truth, which needs fuch a defence as
the truth hath not been ufed to have j but hach grown
up, been preferved, and thriven not only without it,
but againft the ftrength and force of it. So likewife
thofe confiderations of the Jhepherd's defending the flock
from the wolves^ and of the keeper of the vineyards
maintaining the hedge againft the wild beafls, &c. are
not proper to the thing in hand : for the fpiritual
fheep, the foul, the liberty of the church, the true
religion, the true vineyard, are not outward, nor to
be defended after an outward manner j but the de-
fence is according to the nature of the thing which
is to be defended. To truft or look after an out-
ward power for defending thefe, is to betray the faith,
which is the fhield. Therefore let them confider whe-
ther, in looking out too much at thefe, they have not
loft the true weapon, and the fight of the true thing
which is to be defended, which the arm of the Lord
alone gathers, and the arm of the Lord alone pre-
ferves.
This argument is yet farther prefTed from the pre-
fent ftate of your own people, too many of them being
periloiifly difpofed (as ye fay) to receive their docfrine,
being already too much difaffeSled^ if not enemies to order ^
&c.
Anfw. Alas ! alas ! have you had your order, your
church-government fo long up, and are the multitude
among you yet fo ready to be lliaken ? Behold what a
weak unftable fettlement ye have attained to all this
time by your outward force ! but featch honeftly, and
fee who they are that are fo ready to be ftiaken. Are
they the difcontented, and unconfcio7iahle multitude (as ye
fpeak) ? or are they the rnoft fimple- hearted, moft
confcientious, and zealous towards God amongft you ?
(For it is experienced here in Old-Lngland, that the
ground they gain is not upon the unconfcionable, but
Vol. I. H h the
412 An Examination of
the confcientious). If it be thefe that are fomevvhat
touched with the fenle of their doflrine, it may make
you fear that there is more of God therein than you
are aware of. Therefore do not proceed to argue
thus violently againft a thing, before ye have tried it :
but come to a deep, ferious, inward confideration of
the thing between God and your own fouls : not in
the pride, loftinefs, and lelf-willednefs ; but in the
honefty, humility, and meeknefs of your fpirits : and
then perhaps ye may fee beauty, and the life of your
fouls, in that which ye now fo revile and perfecute.
And though ye matter not how ye imagine and fpeak
all manner of evil falfely againft us; yet do not alfo
wrong the beft among yourfelves, by terming them
difcontented and iinconjcionable^ becaufe their fpirits are
not hardened by your form \ but yet retain fome ten-
dernefs towards God, his truths, and people.
But why do ye charge following the light within fo
deeply, as to be a giving up of mens Jelves to their own
inclinations^ and that it immediately canonizeth them for
faints^ difchargeth them from fuhjetliony both civil and
facredi and from the Jcriptures as the rule of life, and hy
virtue of this their faintfjipy intitles to the ejiates and
dignities of all who are not of their minds, &c.
Anfw. Surely if ye were guided by the light with-
in, ye would be preferved from fuch kind of injuri-
oufnefs both to perfons and principles. Are your
tongues and pens your own, at liberty to fpeak and
write any thing that will make for your advantage,
how manifeftly falfe Ibever ? If it were but a natural
light, yet, being of God, it would not deferve this
deep blame. Have ye ever tried it, as we have done ?
If not, why do ye yet fpeak fo againft it, before ye
have tried it ? We can upon much experience teftify,
that it is againft our inclinations ; that it difcovers
them, calls from them,, and is a daily crofs to them;
upon following whereof we feel the bitter dying of the
earthly part, and the inclinations thereof pining away.
And from true fubje6lion to that which truly is of
God, it never difcharges i but leads to obedience to
what
THE Grounds or Causes, Sec, 413
v/hat is lawfully commanded by authority, and to
patient fuffering under what is unlawfully inflided.
And as for the fcriptures, it opens them in the life
which gave them forth j it fulfils them in us ; it makes
them our own ; it makes us able to fet our feal to the
truth of them in the fight of God ; and to receive
that for the rule which the fcriptures fay is the rule,
" the living word, Chrift the living way, the word in
" the mouth and in the heart, Rom. x. the law in
" the mind, the law of the fpirit of life in Chrift
** Jefus," which is ibe word ingrafted into their hearts,
who are created a-ncw in Chrift. And this is the ho-
nour which we give to the fcriptures, namely, to re-
ceive that which they teftify of; to live and walk in
that fpirit which they call to us to live and walk in :
to take heed of painting the old nature, and letting
the old fpirit live upon its imaginations, which it
gathers out of the fcriptures, reading them in the
oldnefs of the letter, and not in the newnefs of the
fpirit. And we profefs nakedly that we believe the
truth of God, not merely becaufe the fcripture hath
faid it (for that which is out of the truth may thus
believe) ; but alfo becaufe, in coming to the thing,
and receiving the truth as it is in Jefus, we have
found it to be juft as the fcriptures fpeak of it. But
what do ye fpeak, as if following the light did intitle
men to the eftates and dignities of all who are not of
their mind ? Nay, the light teacheth not to covet, not
to defire, earthly dignities or eftates. Let it be look-
ed at over Old-I'ngland : which of us fo much as
mind thefe things ? Nay, the Lord knows that the love
of thefe things is daily rooted out of our hearts more
and more, and we are a people whom the world can-
not charge with covetoufnefs, or love of the world,
wherewith all forts of profeftbrs hitherto have been
too juftly chargeable. O rulers of New-England !
why do you thus overturn the caufe of the innocent?
If we were a bad people, yet to lay things fo notori-
oufly falfe to our charge, and to charge that principle
in us with it, which pov/erfully leads us from it, this
H h 2 is
414 An Examination of
is not right nor juflifiable in the fight of God. Ah!
take heed of reviling, perfecuting, and fpeaking all
manner of evil againft us falfely, for his name's fake
whom we are called to ferve, and whom we do ferve
in following and obeying the light of his fpirit in us,
which hath led us to the true knowledge of God, and
to life and peace with him.
About the dole of this argument, for the further
ftrengthening of it, it is faid, duty is not oppofitc to
duty: pajfivenejs for the truths and a^lhenefs againfi the
enemies of truths are loth duties in their feafon.
Anfzv. Every kind of a6tivenefs againft the enemies
of the truth is not duty ; for fome kind is finful.
There is a lawful fighting, and an unlawful fighting.
Such a kind of fighting againft an enemy as may hurt
a friend, and cannot hurt the enemy, is unlawful.
Now the magiftrate's fword may hurt a friend, may
affright the tender confcience from its duty towards
Chrift ; but it cannot reach the falftiood which lodgeth
in the heart, nor draw the party from that, but rather
hardeneth him in it : lb that it is not a duty to have
the magiftrate's fword drawn out againft that for
which it is not proper, where it may do hurt, and
not good. The houfliolder would not permit his own
fervants to gather up the tares, left they ftiould root
up the wheat with them. Mat. xiii. 29. Did Chrift
deny his difciples that liberty, and doth he grant it to
the magiftrate ? Is the magiftrate out of danger of
hurting the wheat, while he is fmiting at the tares ?
Nay, is he not in danger of fmiting and rooting up
the wheat inftead of the tares ? Surely this is the ma-
giftrate's duty, to keep in his place, and not to extend
his fword beyond his commiflion, and beyond what it
is proper for. And let me put this to all the magi-
ftrates of the earth, who have been drawing out their
fword againft tares (as they might think); " are ye fure
*' that ye never touched any green thing ?" Rev. ix,
4. Did ye never pluck up any wheat ? Ye muft give an
account of this to Chrift one day. Here in Old-Eng-
land, in the biftiops days, they were liable to be ex-
communicated
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 415
communicated and weeded out of the church, and
alfo be ilruck at by the magiilrate : how it hath been
in New-England, I leav'^e it to your confciences to
confider of. Do not ilubber it over, but make up a
juft account.
What Mofes did, Levit. xxiv. in cafe of blafphemy,
he did by immediate direftion from God, ver. 13.
and he was a type of Chrift, who inwardly and fpiri-
tually fulfills all his outward fhadows. And Chrift
doth not fay that every blafphemer under the gofpel
fhall be put to death, but all blafphemy or fpeaking
againft the Son of man fhall be forgiven •, but there is
a kind of blafphemy which he will not forgive. And
the church, by his fpirit, are to try and deal with
blafphemers, even to the cutting of them off by the
fwcrd of the fpirit, that they may repent, and " learn
** not to blafpheme," i Tim. i. 20. but the magiftrate
is not now appointed to cut them off in their blafphe-
my, and fo to take away that time of repentance from
them, which Chrift hath allowed them. Chrift's ordi-
nances and inftitutions do not clafli one with another;
he doth not bid the church cut off a perfon from the
unity, with the fword of the fpirit, that he might feel
the lofs of life, and be made fenfible of what a condi-
tion his blafphemies have brought him to, and fo
come to mourn and repent, I fay Chrift doth not
do this on the one hand, and on the other hand bid
the magiftrate banifh him, or cut him off with the
fword, and fo take away his time of repentance from
him. Nay : this device fprung from the falfe church,
to make her excommunication outwardly terrible and
dreadful, which hath no inward virtue, or caufe of
terror and dread at all in it.
So as touching Nehemiah, he was both extraordi-
narily ftirred up by God, and his time was under
the law ; fo that the argument from his example is
not valid to them, who have not fuch a warrant as
he had (for he faith himfelf, that God had pur in his
heart what he had to do at Jerufalem, Nehem. ii.
12), and where the ftate and miniftration is changed.
H h 3 The
4i6 An Examination of
The piiefts did that under the law, which is not now
to be done ; but typified what Chrifb the unchangeable
prieft was to do j fo likewife the kings, judges, and
crovernors of that people, did that under the law to-
wards them, which is not now to be done outwardly
towards any, by any king, ruler, or magi (Irate ; but
typified what Chrift was inwardly to do in the fpirits
of his people, and how he would gather, prefervc,
and defend his church, and wound and fubdue his ene-
mies, even by his rod and fcepter, which is the fword
of his fpirit, the word of his mouth.
And as forEphefus and Thyatira's not fuffering falfe
apoftles and the woman Jezabel j we do not fay that
any errors, or erroneous perfons, are to be fuffered by
the church, but to be dealt with in Chrift's power and
authority. But the delivering up of thefe to the fecu-
lar power, we know to have been an invention of anti-
chrift's, and a great difhonour to Chrift (as if his rod
and fcepter were not fufficient to defend his fubjeds
and kingdom, and to beat down his enemies), and
alfo a ground of much afflidion, perfecution, and
blood-ftied of the faints j yea, and of fuppreffing the
truth of God for a feafon. For the perfecutor having
once gotten his cover, then he can do that openly and
boldly, which otherwife he would blufh and be afiia-
med of. To perfecute Chrift, to put his people to
death, and that for profefling and publifhing his truths j
God forbid, faith the antichriftian fpirit (in every
form and way of religion), that we fhould do this ;
but in every age calls the witneffes to the truth (of
that age) blafphemers, wicked perfons, perfons that
by their tenets overthrow the fundamental truths of
the gofpel, and their do6trines deftru6live, &c. And
now what zealous people or minifter, or what Chrif-
tian mao^iitrate, caa fuffer fuch as thefe? By this ar-
tifice the fufferings of the faints come to abound in
45very age, and their blood is made havock of: and
what is thus done, eafily paffeth as an aft of juftice
againft offenders, and not (as indeed it is) perfecu-
tion of the truths and people of God. The after age
can
THE Grounds or Causes, 5cc. 417
can fee whac it is, and cry out againfl it : but ftill
it is the fubtilty of the perfecuting fpirit to hide the
perfecutions of the prefent a2;e, under an appearance
of zeal for God, and of juftice againfl offenders.
3. In the next place it is laid, on the Quakers
behalf, that they are the lambs of Chrifi.
Indeed this is a confiderable thing j for if they be
Chrift's lambs, then they are innocent, and cannot be
the caufers of their own lufFerings; but that will rell
upon the perlecutors, though they ufe ever fo much
art to make the lambs appear guilty, and themfelves
guiltlefs; their fpirit, nature, manner of fighting
(which is with lamb-like weapons, which hurt not
flefh and blood), their whole courfe and converfa-
tion, and manner of fuffering, &c. manifefts them to
be lambs i this is of much more force than a bare
faying they are lambs. None of this is mentio«ned
on their behalf, but only that they fay they are lambs.
But let us fee how fairly that is overthrown.
Againfl this, that place, John v. 31. is alledged ;
" If I bear witnefs of myfelf, my witnefs is not true:"
whereupon it is faid thus. Had not Chriji been God^ the
reafon of the Jews had been good againfl him.
Anjw. Doth not the fpirit of God dwell in the fons
of God .? And doth not the fpirit of God bear wit-
nefs in them that they are his children ? And is not
this witnefs true ? John faith, " We know that we are
" of God," I John v. 19. Was not this witnefs
true in John, becaufe John was not God? Was not
the prophets teflimony true (that they were his pro-
phets, and that God had fent them, and that it was
his mefTage which they brought), becaufe they were
not God ? Shall the fpirit of God work wonders in
the heart? and iliall he not teflify concerning his own
work at his pleafure ? Ah ! friends, how do ye under-
ftand fcripture, and raife inferences from it, thus to
condemn the generation of the righteous ? Search the
fcriptures ; Do not the prophets flill teflify that the
Lord fent them, and that it was his word which they
fpake \ though they themfelves were pot Gqd, but
H h 4 pcrfons
4i8 An Examination of
perfons moved by the fpirit of God 3 who ftlrred in
his fervants under the law, but dwelleth, refteth, and
abideth in his people under the gofpel ; and what he
teftifieth is true, though flefhly-wife Ifrael (who feenm
to themlelves very fkilful in the law and letter of the
fcriptureb) could not receive his teftimony either then
or now. Ah ! friends ! ye had need take heed and
confider, left the baftardly birth in you hath taken up
an habitation in the letter, without knowing the mind
of the fpirit, whofe prefence killeth the carnal part,
and fhutteth out the wifdom of the flefh from med-
dling with the fcriptures.
And whereas you feem to refer all to the trial of the
fcripture, both ftation, dodrine, and praftice; furely
if ye had done fo in truth, ye would have more pa-
tiently heard their teftimony according to the fcrip-
tures. Every man pretendeth fcripture, but none
truly honour it, but they who are guided by that
fpirit which it teftifieth of. And they who are not
guided by that fpirit, walk not according to the
fcriptures, but according to reaibnings of the flefhly
part, which windeth itfelf into the letter of the fcrip-
tures, that by fome conformity thereto, it may avoid
the dint of the fpirit. And this is the way of anti-
chrift's prevailing, by getting the form, crying up
that, winding his own fleftily fpirit into that, and
fheltering itfelf under that. Thus the Jews cried up
the temple of the Lord, the fabbath, the law of
Mofes, and writings of the prophets; and under this
cover, with great zeal perfecuted Chrift ; he was
looked upon as a blafphemer, as one againft God's
temple, his fabbath, his ordinances, &c. And fince
the days of Chrift, the antichriftian fpirit fpeaks great
words of Chrift ; his death, refurredion, afcenfion,
interceflion, &c. and of church-order, and difcipline,
that under this cover it may fight againft the com-
forter, the fpirit of truth i who alone can lead into
truth, and which is the proper way of God's minif-
tration fince Chrift's afcenfion. And this hath been
the way of oppofing truth ever fince, and ftill is :
and
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 419
and here is the antichrift, he that holds thefe in the
wrong part, and by thefe fights againft the true
fpirit.
But if there be any truth in this, that ye are will-
ing to be tried by the fcriptures, let it yet come to a
fair trial this way, and let them have free liberty to
manifeft among you, what they have to fay from the
fcriptures ; why your church, your minirtry, your
order and government, your whole way of teaching
and worfhip is not of God, nor according to the
fcriptures, but an invention and imitation, fet up in
the way of refemblance of what once was truly fo.
If this cannot be made good againft you, ye will have
much advantage of fnaming them, and of fettling
your people much firmer than by prifons, whips, cut-
ting ofi^ of ears, banilhment, and death ; which no
man's heart (ferioufly confidering it in true fobernefs)
can pofiibly believe to be the proper engines of fet-
tling or preferving the gofpel of peace.
But that the fcripture is the rule of trial under the
gofpel, I read not in fcripture ; but that the things of
the fpirit are to be known in and by the fpirit, i Cor.
ii. 12. The apofUe John, fpeaking of annichrifts, fe-
ducers, and erring fpirirs, which were to be tried,
doth not bid them try them by the words which he
wrote, or by the other apoftles words, or by the pro-
phets words; but by the anointing; which keeping
clofe to, they need fear no feducers, i John ii. 26, 27.
The word which was in the beginning being receiv-
ed, abode in, and kept clofe to, tries all words and
fpirics. That which begets to God is the fpirit; the
great gift (which is given to him who is begotten) is
the fpirit ; and this (being given) is to become the
fountain of life to the believer, John vii. 38. And
in this fpring of life he is to live, and receive milk
and knowledge ; and here he is to walk, and here he
is to try all other waters, even by this water. And
this is more to a believer, and more enableth him to
try, than all the words of truth that ever were writ-
ten i though he that hath this cannot defpife or un-
dervalue
420 An Examination of
dervaliie any thing that the fpirit ever wrought; but
yet the fpirit iclelf is more to him, and more certain,
than any words concerning the fpirit. Men may
make falfe glolTes, and mud, and make void the
fcriptures, by their reafonings, and interpretations,
and traditional apprehenfions ; but this water ever
runs freili and clear, and no foul fpirit can defile it.
Mofes gave the law, which direfted to, and ended
in, Chrift : Chrift in the flefh finifhed the work which
the Father gave him to do, and diredled to the com-
forter to be the leader into all truth ; yea, the fpring
of life to the believer; and here the believer is fafe :
but the antichriftian fpirit ravening from this, cries
up the letter in the ftead of this, and doth not fee
how the letter points to and centers in this. " God
<' hath made us able minifters of the New Tefta-
ment" (faith the apoftle) ; <^ not of the letter, but
** of the fpirit," 2 Cor. iii. 6. He overlooked the
letter: that was not the thing he was chiefly to mi-
nifter, but the fpirit, the power, to turn men from
darknefs to light, that they might feel him that is
true, and have the life eternal abiding in the heart:
but now, in the antichriftian darknefs, the fpirit being
loft, which is the gofpel-adminiftration, they feeming-
ly advance and cry up the letter, putting it into the
place of the fpirit. Yet in truth it is not the fcrip-
ture neither, in its naked fimplicity, which is thus
cried up, but man's wife reafonings about it. The
fielTily will, the flefiily underflanding, the fleflily
ftrength getting a feat there, having formed a build-
ing out of it, and reared ftrong-holds in that part
which can be wife, and live without the fpirit ; now
its life, its intereft, lies in the fcripture thus believed,
thus underftood, thus praftifed : thus therefore it
cries it up, not as it came at firft out of the hands of
the fpirit, nor as the truth of it is now feen in the
fimplicity and nakednefs of the fpirit, but as the
•wildom from below hath formed meanings and ap-
prehenfions concerning it. And here every fort of
men are wife in their own eyes, and ftrong and pru-r
dent
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 421
dent in their own conceivings and reafonings, but
know not the bringing to nought of that underftand-
ing, v/hich precedeth the opening of the eye of the
babe, which hath that fight of the things of God
given it, which is out of the reach of all the wife
and ftrong ones. It is true, under the law they were
to try by the law and teftimony, Ifa. viii. 10. but
yet not in an uncertain way, according to their own
gueffings, imaginations, and reafonings, but accord-
ing to a certain interpretation and knowledge there-
of; and in cafes of difficulty the judge was to have
recourfe to the pried, Deut. xvii. 8, &c. And the
prieils, in cafes of doubt, had an ordinary way of en-
quiring by Urim, Numb, xxvii. befides the way of
enquiring by prophets, which was very common with
them alfo, i Sam. ix. 9. — xxviii. 6. But now the
Jews having forfeited thefe, and filling their m.inds
with a gathered knowledge from the law and pro-
phets, trying Chrifl: and his truths by this, judged
amifs both of him and them. Now the law was a
fhadow of good things to come ; not a fhadow of
another outward law or rule, but a fhadow of the in-
ward rule, of the law of the new covenant written
in the heart, of the fpirit put within, Heb. viii. and
by this law is the true believer fully as able to try,
as they were by the former •, but without this, a
Chriftian's trial of things is not fo certain as theirs
was under the law.
4. The force of the fourth argument is to this effecSb,
I'hat the di5iate of the confcience is not a Jufficient plea in
cafe of meer and/ingle ignorance, much lefs in wilful and
affected ignorance.
Anfw. The didate of confcience is not made a
plea by us ; but the anfwering and obeying the lio-ht
of Chrift in our confciences, is that which kecpeth
them void of offence, both towards God and towards
men. Now it is one thing for a man to acl evil, and
plead it is his confcience; and it is another thino- for
a man to be guided by the infallible light of the fpi-
fit ; or if he be not come fo far, yet to be made ten-
der
■^ An Examination OF
der in his heart towards Chrift concerning his prac-
tices in religion. In this laft cafe we lay, that in
things, whofe good or evil chiefly depends upon the
knowledge and perfuafion of the mind, which Chrift
alone can do, here Chriil is the fole Lord and judge
of the confcience. Rev. xiv. 4. and not either minifter,
church, or magiftrate. Chrift giveth knowledge,
Chrift increafeth knowledge, and Chrift requirerh
obedience according to the knowledge given or in-
creafed. That is many times required to be left, up-
on a farther degree of knowledge given, which was
not required to be left before ; and fo alfo upon the
iame terms may things be required to be performed,
■which were not required to be done before. And this,
indeed, is the very fum of the true religion (fince the
death of Chrift, and his finifliing of his work here),
cither to worlhip in the fpirit, or to wait for the fpi-
rit. He who hath not received the fpirit, he is to
wait for the fpirit. He who hath received the fpirit,
he is to wait in the fpirit for the movings and out-
goings thereof, and to be obedient thereto. And
Chriftians are to take heed, not only of a wrong fpi-
rit, but alfo of quenching the movings of the true
fpirit in themfelves or others. If the erring mind
hath miftaken about worfliip, and through its miftake
fet up a wrong way, the fpirit in the tender plants
will be moving againft it, which the wife reafoning
fiefhly part will be knocking down j and fo the birth,
which is after the flefh, will be getting advantage of
perfecuting and keeping under the immortal ktd.
Now fupprefs evil to the utmoft, but take heed of
quenching the good in any; take heed how ye ftop
that in its courfe of difcovering evil (in your worftiips,
or otherwife) which eafily palieth for good,' until the
fpirit begin to make it manifeft. Ah! friends! if the
carnal wifdom had been crucified in you, and the
fpirit of God had had more fcope in manifefting evil
among you, what might ye have grown to ere this
day ! But if the magiftrate upon every doubt, or dif-
ference, or ftartling of the tender confcience, ftep in
with
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 423
v/ith his fword, how is the way of the breaking forth
of truth flopped up ! And that which is truly of God,
and moft tender towards him, is moft liable to fufFer
this way. And this is that which makes the Quakers
fuch a fufFering people, becaufe they have found the
benefit of keeping the confcience tender towards God,
and fo prize it above all things j and this mercy have
they received from the Lord, fenfibly to diftinguifh
(in this tendernefs towards God, and in the fear of
his name) between the didtates of confcience, and the
voice of his fpirit there. Now it is not at all plead-
ed by us, that under a pretence of confcience, ye
fhould fufrer all manner or any manner of evil : but
firfl, Punijh riot good for evil: do not punifh the good
in others, to defend the evil in yourfelves. Secondly,
That which is tnanifejily evil, punijh it by fuch hands and
means as God hath appointed \ the fpiritual by fpiritual,
the temporal by temporal j and do not make punifh-
ing of evil a pretence of perfecuting good in others,
and of upholding the evil in yourfelves.
But as touching your diflin6lion of meer and fingle
ignorance, or wilful and affefled, we can blefs the
Lord who hath delivered us from them both, by the
day-fpring which he hath caufed to arife in our hearts ;
and we can with a farther meafure of the fame fpirit
bear this from you, with a meafure whereof fome of
the Non-conformifts bore this from the Conformifls,
who would cafl this upon them, that their ignorance
was affecfted, they were refraiflory, but might have
been better informed if they would. And we wifh
with all our hearts, that there were not too jull caufe
of retorting both parts of this diflindion back upon
you J for if ye had not been very groily ignorant, ye
could never have thus put darknefs for light, aad
light for darknefs, cafling fuch odious reproaches
upon the truth, to make it appear what it was not.
Had ye not been ignorant of the fcripture, ye would
have known the movings of the life and fpirit of ic
in others; but through ignorance of the eternal power,
and from your dark reafonings and conceivings about
the
4^4 ^^ ExAMiNATrorf of
the letter, ye are ready to call Chrift Beelzebub; not
knowing the anointing in the members, no more than
the Scribes and Pharifees did in the head. And had
not your ignorance alfo been too much affected, ye
•would have taken more pains about the trial, and not
have run into fuch miftakes all along, both about them
and their dodlrines, as ye have done.
That Chrift referred himfelf either to Pilate's or the
Jews trial of him by fcriptures, is a grofs miftake at beft.
The Jews did try him by fcriptures; and according
to their underftanding thereof, found him a fabbath-
breaker, againft Mofes's law, and that he could not be
the Meffiah, John vii. 27. — 52. and xii. 34. but by
their law ought to die, John xix. 7. There is no try-
ing of the things of God, by confidering of fcriptures in
the carnal mind, in the wife reafoning part; but in the
fpirit which wrote the fcriptures, in the underftanding
which God gives, i John v. 2Q. in the wifdom which
is beftowed on the babe (who lives in the fimplicity and
pure innocency that is in Chrift) there the truth itfelf,
and alfo the fcriptures which teftify of it, are clear.
Now Chrift did not refer himfelf to them to be tried by
the fcriptures (for he knew what was in man, and he
knew after what manner they would try him thereby) ;
but he bid them " Search the fcriptures," which
teftified of him, that fo they might come to know and
receive him, John v. 39, 40. and none knew him, but
thofe to whom the Father revealed him.
So the cafe of Paul's appealing to Crefar doth not
prove that Casfar was a proper judge in cafes of con-
fcience ; but he was at that time a proper defence
againft the malice of the Jews, who moft uncon-
fcionably perfecuted Paul, under a pretence of zeal
for God, and defence of their church and ordinances.
And were ye not in power, but an equal heathen
magiftrate over us both, the Quakers durft refer their
caufe to trial, that they have done you no more injury,
than Paul did the Jews. Indeed Paul preached that
■which was the end of the law, and the overturning of
the Jewifti ftate : and if their priefts and rulers had had
; him
THE Grounds or Causes, Sec. 425
him to judge, they would have made him as great an
offender as ye now make the Quakers, Now if your
religion (land upon fuch a bottom as theirs did, and
not upon the rock, in the faith, and by the Spirit, ye
may well fear us; it is not without a caufe : for this we
certainly know, that all profeflions of God and of
Chrift, imitations and pradtices from the letter, which
ftand in man's will and wifdom, will not be able to
abide the breath of this fuffering feed, who love the
teftimony of Jefus, and fervice to his name, above
their lives.
And as for an erring confciencey there lies the difpute,
whofe confcience errs, yours or theirs ? Ye fay they
have erred from the letter, the order, and ordinances
of the gofpel : they fay ye have erred from the Spirit,
and therefore muft needs have erred from the letter alfo
(and this they are ready to prove according to the
fcriptures, if ye dare ftand to a fair trial.) And alfo,
that ye are in a knowledge, faith, worfhip, wifdom, &c.
whicli ftands in the will and carnal part, and keeps the
carnal part alive. This deferves a meek and ferious
confideration in the fear of him who can deftroy the
foul; and not fuch a bloody and fiery trial, as your pro-
ceedings and writings too much favour of.
5 . That a regular defence of the truth by the godly or-
thodox magijirate, and others refpe^ivelyy is not perfe-
cution.
Anfw. To bring the fword of the magiftrate into the
work of Chrifl's Spirit and power, this is irregular;
and it doth execution irregularly, cutting down the
perfon, and not the fin ; whereas the fword of the
Spirit cuts down the fin, that the perfon may be faved.
Chrift came not to deftroy men's lives, but to fave;
and if any man receive him not, or fpeak againft him,
he calls not for fire from heaven, or for a magiftrate's
fword, but waits to be gracious, and by the power of
his Spirit (having once convinced and gathered) doth
he defend his truths and people. Let but the magiftrate
ftand ftill with his fword, the Spirit of Chrift will
foon get the vidlory over error; and a fweecer and a
better
426 An Examination of
better vi6lory than the magiftrate's fword can efFed.
Truth fprung up without the magiftrate's fword; yea,
againft it. So it grew; fo it conquered. The magif-
trate's fword here (though ever fo favourable to truth)
doth more hurt than good, putting the true fword out
of his place, and keeping down that tendeinefs of
Ipirit, wherein the truth alone can fpring.
That coercion was inftituted for rellraining of evil,
we grant, (this is the fame with the firft argument:)
but he that appointed two kinds of coercion, {et each
their limits, which they are not to tranfgrefs. See the
anfwer to the firft argument.
But whereas ye fay, that Tares and ill weeds need no
more than being let alone to over-run and Jpoil the corn;
that is diredly contrary to Chrift, who faid exprefly,
" Let both grow together until the harveft,"
Matt. xiii. 30. Surely he would not have his wheat
in danger of being deftroyed all the time till harveftj
but he judged that plucking up the tares would more
endanger the wheat, than letting them alone, ver. 29.
Man may eafily miftake, and pluck up an ear of
wheat, inftead of a tare; and better it were to let
many tares alone, than pluck up one ear of wheat.
Ye have long been bufied in New-England about
plucking up of tares. Are ye fure ye never plucked
up any wheat? Nay, have ye not weeded out the wheat,
and left the tares ftanding? Undertaking a work fo
direftly contrary to Chrift's direftion (and fo without
the guidance of his Spirit) ye might eafily thus err.
Now what the tares are, is afterwards expounded; they
are fuch perfons as grow among the wheat, but are not
wheat; but are to be gathered from the wheat with
Chrift's fickle, and bound up in bundles for the burning
in the day of his harveft.
Your comparifons of a gangrene, and the like, I wifn
you knew how to apply. The power of God's truth in
the fpirits of his people is no gangrene; but the form
without the power is a gangrene, and, like Pharaoh's
lean cattle, foon eats up the fat. And he who has loft"
his own tendernefs and freftinefs, foon turns perfccutor
of
THE Grounds or Causes, Sec, 427
of fuch as remain tender, and feek to preferve theif
frefhnefs.
In the days of the apoftles there was a king in Ifraeli
then the church was well governed, in the meeknefs and
fweet authority and power of Chrift's Spirit, which
hurts not creatures, but ftrikes at Chrift's enemy in
creatures. Since that time, the Papifts have had a long
day of doing what was right in their eyesj the Epifco-
palians, a day after them, of doing what was right in
their eyes; and fo the Prefbyterians and Independents,
&c. But it were better for them all to lament after
the right king, than to fet up an ufurped authority ia
his abfence. Carnal reafon, the wifdom of the flefh,
hath got his feat, giving forth his meaning of fcripture,
and fo (under a colour of them) ruling over his flock
with force and cruelty, and not with the meek,
gentle, righteous fcepter of his Spirit, which alone is
appointed of Chrift to govern them.
So then the magiftrate's punifliing of the Quakers
is not regular by any inftitution of Chriftj but only by
a law of their own making, as it is further explained,
p. 95. of this Appendix; the grounds whereof have
been already examined, and found infufficient to war-
rant them therein; which I leave to themfelves, and
to every man's confcience, to confider of, in the dread
of God, the judge of all.
Upon the refult of all, it may not be amifs to ftate
the cafe between the governors of New-England and
the Quakers, which is briefly thus:
If the governors of New-England had juft caufe to
make fuch a law againft the Quakers, and had a true
rightly-derived power fo to do from God, who is the
fpring of all juft power; and if the Quakers had
liberty from the Lord to chufe orrefufe obedience to it^
then their fuffering death is juftly to be imputed to
themfelves.
But if the governors of New-England had not a
juft caufe of making this law, nor authority and
power from God fo to do; and the Quakers had not
Vol. I. I i liberty
4^8 An Examination of
liberty to chufe or refufe coming thither, but had art
indifpenfable command from Chrift their Lord ; then
their fufFerings and blood will reft on the heads of the
governors of New-England, and will ftick clofer to
them than to be wiped off by fuch kind of arguments
and reafonings.
All depends upon your firft ftep of proceeding. If
that was without due ground, not in the fear of the
Lord, without Chrift's allowance and diredion; with-
out having duly weighed the thing in the true unerring
balance, but rather in the haftinefs and ftiff refolved-
nefs of the flelh j then all your proceedings fince have
been but aggravations of your fin ; and God might
juftly let you go on thus far, to fhame you even in the
fight of the very heathen, among whom the fenfe and
abhorrence of this cruel and bloody fpirit cannot but
make your profeffion of the gofpel of peace become a
reproach.
The Quakers came to you in the name of the Lord,
to difcover from him to you the evil of your ways; to
convince you by his light of your departing from that
which was perfecuted in you in the times of your
fufferings in Old-England : but ye would not meekly
hear and confider of what they had to fay to you from
the Lord; but prefently imprifoned and fent them
away; and fo proceeded further and further againft
them, till at length ye came to drink their blood.
So that in truth their teilimony is the caufe of their
death; and judge in your own hearts whether this be not
a perfecution of a deep dye. It were better for you to
charge it upon your own hearts, than to have the Lord
charge it upon you, when you come to ftand before him
to be eternally judged.
There
THE Grounds or Causes, &c, 429
There remains yet another Paper (printed here
in England) called, " A True Relation of
*' the Proceedings agalnft certain Quakers,
** at the General Court of MafTachufets,
" holden at Bofton in New-England, Oc-
*' tober 18, 1659."
THE arguments therein, whereupon they would
have their proceedings pafs for juft, and not
be accounted perfecution, are thefe : 'The authority of
this courts the laws of the country^ the laws of God, and
their gradual -proceedings.
Anfw. Perfecutors are very feldom (If at any time)
without thefe pleas for themfelves. Had not the
bifhops as fair a right to this plea, to cover their per-
fecutions of the Non-conformifts with ? Could not
they, in their day, have alledged the authority of their
courts, the laws of their country (perhaps fome not
made diredlly to intrap neither, as yours were), and
had not they as confident a pretence to the law of God
as thefe ? And did not they alfo proceed gradually ?
He that doubteth, let him read Hooker'j Ecclefajiicai
Polity, and other writings of the Conformifts, and fee
whether their fpirit was not more mild and Chriftian-
llke, and their arguments more weighty by far, than
thofe which thefe have ufed againft the Quakers.
Nay, have the very Papifts themfelves been without
thefe arguments ? Did they not proceed gradually in
queen Mary's days againft the martyrs ? Yea, whac
pains did they take to convince them of their herefies,
and to bring them into the unity of the true church,
as they accounted it ! But thefe arguments did not
juftify the Papifts or Conformifts in the fight of God
(though they might juftify their proceedings in the
eyes of their own party) j nor will they juftify them
to have gone one ftep beyond the Conformifts. But as
1x2 the
430 An Examination or
the fpirit of perfecution entering into the bidiGps and
Conformifls was the fame fpirit, as well when it was in
them as in the Papiftsj fo the fame fpirit entering into
the Non-conformifts, is the fame fpirit ftill in them,
as it was in the bilhops and Conformifts. And the
plea of the authority of their court, the laws of the
country, with fuch a kind of pretence to the law of
God, and their gradual proceedings, is no more in
truth and reality a Ihelterfor them, than it was for the
other J though they, in their day, look upon it as a
good and fufficient cover, even as the bifhops did in
their day, and the Papiiis in their day. Had they
wanted this cover, the nakednefs of their zeal and
profeflion would have appeared to every eye : yea,
their own confciences could not but have flown in
their faces, had they put them to death fo foon as ever
they had come over, without any foregoing proceed-
ings. But this is the nature of the perfecuting fpirit;
firft it feeks a cover to flop the mouth of its own con-
fcience, and to hide its blood-thirfty adlions from the
eye of the world; and then its feet are fwift to fhed
the blood of the innocent. But the fame Lord God of
truth and rightcoufnefs, who hath unmafked the Papifts,
and unmafked the bifhops, will unmalk thefe alfo,
and their nakednefs fliall more appear than the others,
who would hide themfelves and their own cruelty with
that covering, which they themfelves have judged in
others. It is not therefore any of thefe, but the
grounds of their proceedings mufl manifefl them to
be juft; or elfe, notwithftanding the pretence to
juftice, their whole courfe of proceedings will prove
in truth (and according to righteous judgment) but
perfecution.
Now the Grounds of their Proceedings they
mention to be thefe :
I. 'Their having received intelligence from good hands
from Barbadoes and England^ of the ■pernicious opinions
and pra£iices of the Quakers,
2. Their
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 431
2. '^heir profejfed tenets (how well you have ac-
quitted yourfelves herein, let all that fear God
judge).
3. 'itheir turhulent and contemptuous behaviour to au-
thority.
4. 'Their dejigns to undermine and ruin the order and
peace here eflahlijhed.
Anjw. He that is willing to receive ihall never want
intelligence againfb the truths and people of God,
even frona fuch hands as he will be ready to call good
(It is a remnant only that receive truth; the generality
of profeflbrs in all ages are flill ready both to fend
and receive intelligence againft all the living appear-
ances of it, and of God's witnelTes to it). Nor can
he who hath already entertained prejudices ever want
matter againft their tenets, behaviour, or to charge
them with defigns. Have not thefe reproaches always
been caft upon every appearance of God? Are not the
veflels he chufes to hold forth his truths by ftill repre-
fented as perfons of pernicious opinions and pra6lices,
their tenets charged to be wicked, and they looked
upon as turbulent and contemptuous, &c. ? Were not
the Non-conformifts themfelves looked upon as perfons
that would undermine and ruin the order and peace of
the church; who for fuch trivial things would make
fuch great rents and breaches, marring the beauty, and
difturbing the unity, order, and peace of the church
of England ? Surely they cannot yet forget this,
befides that common charge againft them of contu-
macy againft authority. Thefe are but the old
weapons of the old ferpent (only a little new furbifli-
ed by you for your own ufe), even the weapons which
the biftiops wrefted out of the hands of the Papifts,
and which ye have wrefted out of the hands of the
biftiops, and they are no better in your hands than they
were in theirs. They were good in their hands, fo
long as they had authority to make them forcible: and
they have no more virtue in your hands, than what
outward authority and power adds to them. England
was once overflown with this flood of reproaches ;
I i 3 but
43^ An Examination of
but now at length (this afflifted people waiting in
patience on the Lord's will) they have much vanilhed,
the earth helping the woman: and perfons generally,
■who are any whit fober, and come to confider things
in fear and meeknefs, find no fuch matter againlt
them i no fuch opinions, or practices, or tenets, but
the truths of God received and held forth in his fearj
their carriage and behaviour meek and humble, void
of turbulency, and contempt towards any, and they
freer from defigns againft authority and orderly govern-
ment, than any fort elfe whatfoever. This is well
known in England, and it cannot be denied by the
authorities and powers thereof, how we have ftill been
like lambs fuffering from all, not contriving, or fo
much as^ defiring, the hurt of any. The Lord knows
the defire of our fouls to be after truth and righteouf-
nefs, and our expe6lations for the eftablifhing thereof
to be fixed on him alone, and not on any perfons
whatfoever, but as he pleafeth to appear in them, and
work by them; and whatfoever happens in the mean
time, is received as from his hand, who ruleth on high
over all: fo that our fpirits do not fo much as rife
againft any authority or inftruments that perfecute us ;
but we wait on the Lord our God, to advantage his
truth, and bring about good to us thereby; and wc
pity and pray for all who know not what they do ;
bleffing the Lord our God, who accounteth us worthy
to fuffer for his name's fake, in bearing teftimony at
his command to any, though it fhould be but the leaft
of his truths. Therefore take heed in going on in the
hardnefs of your hearts ; but know what a people (in
the juft judgment of God upon you) your lot hath
been to perlecute ; whofe blood will ftick the clofer to
you, and lie fo much the heavier upon you, by how
much the dearer they are to God.
And though ye plead ihe Jafety of the ■people^ as
being the Jovereign law, yet the Lord God knows
whether ye have aimed at the fafety of the people
among you in uprightnefs of heart, or whether ye
bring
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 433
bring this in alfo as a further cover. There is a
double fafety the people nnay juftly challenge from
you, Firft, The Jafety of their confciences in a tender
fearching after truths and further removing out of Babylon.
Secondly, l^he fafety of their eJiateS) ferfonSi and liber-
ties in this fear ch. They did not fly from England to
be perfecuted by the prevailing part among themfeivesj
but to enjoy freedom of confcience in inquiring after
the Lord, his truth, and way of worfliip; and not to
be tied and bound up in a form, exalted and eftabli di-
ed according to the opinions and refult of the reafon-
ings of the major part. Now whether ye have pre-
ferved thefe liberties for them, and really fought their
fafety; or whether ye have perfecuted or made a prey
of them for their confcience fake (beyond whatever
was done to you here in England, or beyond whatever
they had been like to fuffer, had they ftaid here in
England), the Lord, in hio day, will righteoufly
judge. Ye have judged between cattle and cattle i
the Lord alfo will judge between cattle and cattle :
and in that day ye will fee, that as his choice have been
your out-cafts, fo your choice is rejedled by him ; and
that as his Spirit is the abomination of your eyes, fo
your formal way of worfhip is the loathing of his
foul. Oh ! that ye had eyes to fee it ! that your
hearts might not be utterly hardened againft the Lord,
Jiis truths, and people, even to your utter and eternal
deftru6tion 1 Little do ye fee, poor deceived hearts,
what a narrow ftep there is between you and the pit !
I i 4 ThQ
4^4 An Examination of
The Authority and Government which Christ
excluded out of his Church, &c.
%t
Mat. XX. Ver. 25 to 29.
But Jefus called them unto him, and faid, Ye know
that the princes of the Gentiles exercife domi-
nion over them, and they that are great exer-
cife authority upon them. But it Ihall not be
fo among you ; but whofoever will be great
among you, let him be your minifter : and
whofoever will be chief among you, let him be
your fervant. Even as the Son of Man came
not to be miniftered unto, but to minifter, and
to give his life a ranfom for many."
HERE Chrift cuts off* that power and authority
which grows up in the corrupt nature of man,
which was ever and anon fpringing up even in the dif-
ciples. Here he wholly excludes it out of the church, and
fays exprefly he would have no fuch thing among them ;
no fuch kind of greatnefs, no fuch kind of authority.
Among the Gentiles there are great ones, there are
princes j and thefe great ones, thefe princes, they
lord it over the inferior ones, exercifing authority and
dominion over them i *^ but it Ihall not be fo among
<^ you."
The Gentile ftate was a fhadow, even as the Jews
flate was a fhadow. The one of death, the other of
life; the one of darknefs, the other of light. The
one was the image of Satan, the prince of wickednefs;
the other of Chrift, the prince of righteoufnefs and
peace. They were both veils, under which the two
kingdoms were hid.
Now in the Gentile ftate there were nations, princes,
laws, governments, dominions, authorities, &c. but
all in the fall, all in darknefs, all in the tranfgreflion
from the life. The whole ftate was corrupt, and there
muft
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 435
muft be no imitation from hence, no likenefs of any
fuch thing in the kingdom of Chrift, no fuch kind of
law, no fuch kind of government, no fuch kind of*
authority, no fuch kind of anger with perfons that
tranfgrefs, no fuch kind of dealing with any, no fuch
kind of detriment or hurt to any. There is nothing to
hurt in the mountain of God's holinefs t but there is a
righteous fcepter, a fweet fcepter, a fpiritual fcepter,
which reacheth the fpirit in the power of life, but
toucheth not the outward man.
Two things are here excluded by Chrift, from
whence all the mifchief arifeth in the church (all the
tyranny and opprefTion of mens confciences, and of
their perfons, eftates, and liberties, for confcience
fake): firft, greatnejs\, fecondly, the. exercifing dominion
and authority by thofe that would be great therein.
Such a kind of greatnefs as is in the world, is the
deftruftion of the life of Chrift ; and fuch a kind of
dominion and authority as is among the nations, is the
diredt overturning of the kingdom of Chrift. It fets
up another power than Chrift's, another greatnefs than
Chrift*s, another kind of authority than Chrift's; and
fo it eats out the virtue and life of his kino-dom,
and makes it juft like one of the kingdom.s of tliis
world.
" It (hall not be fo among you." This fpirit muft
be kept out from among youj this afpiring fpirit, this
lofty ruling fpirit, which loves to be great, which
loves to have dominion, which would exalt itfelf, be-
caufe of the gift it has received, and would bring others
into fubje(5lion; this fpirit muft be fubdued amongft
Chrift's difciples, or it will ruin all. The Lord gives
grace and knowledge for another end than for men to
take upon them to be great, and rule over others be-
caufe of it. And he that, becaufe of this, thinks
himfelf fit to rule over mens confciences, and to make
them bow to what he knows or takes to be truth, he
lofeth his own life hereby; and fo far as he prevails
upon others, he doth but deftroy their life too. For
it is not fo much fpeaking true things that doth good,
as
436 An Examination of
as fpeaking them from the pure, and conveying them
to the pure; for the life runs along from the veffel of
life in one, into the veflei of life in another; and the
words (though ever fo true) cannot convey life to
another, but as the living vellel opens in the one, and
is opened in the other.
Queft. But hew Jhail this Jprit he kept outy or kept
down 3 that it may not hurt the dijciple in whom it arifethi
or if it do, that the hurt may remain to himjelf, and may
not prejudice the church ?
A^Jzv. When this fpirit begins to arife up in any,
fo foon as ever he perceives it, in that which difcovers
it, he is to fight againit it ; laying himfelf fo much the
lower, by how much he finds this evil fpirit railing
him up. He is to hearken to that which prefents the
crofs to it, and fo to come down and fubje6t himfelf
in ferving and miniftering to thofe who are little in his
eyes. Inliead of reigning over them, let him lie be-
neath them : let him watch and know the life even in
the meaneft, and fcrve it; for that is his place. That
which would rule is to ferve ; that which would be
great is to be little; and the little one is to become a
nation. That which is low is to rife; and thou art not
fit to rife with it, further than thou canft ferve it, both
in thyCelf and others. Therefore if ever thou beeft
afpiring, if ever thou have a mind to rule, if ever
thou think thyfelf fit to teach, becaufe of what thou
haft received, fink down, lie low, take up the crofs
to that proud fpirit, make it bend and ferve, let the
life in everyone rife over it, and trample upon it;
and afterwards that in thee may arife which is fit to
teach, yea, and to rule in the Lord : and fo long as
that hath the dominion, thou mayft be ferviceable to
the Lord, and to his truth and people ; but if ever the
other get up again, thou mull prefently come down
again, or the wrong fpirit will get dominion over thee,
which with force and cruelty will rule over the life
both in thyfelf and others. Thus if a man be faithful
to Chrift, this evil afpiring fpirit, at its firft appearance,
may be dealt with, and kept down j but if it be cherifh-i
ed.
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 4^7
ed, given way to, and once let up, it will be hard
bringing of it down afterwards. Therefore the difciples,
or the church of Chrift, are to watch over every fuch
fpirit, to beat it down, to teftify againll it, to turn
from it, to lay it flat, to put it in its proper place;
that is beneath all, to nninifter to all, and fo not to
fuffer it to rifej fee ver. 26. " Let him be your
** minifter." This is his place, this is his work, by
the authority of Chrifl:. He that would be great, he
that would rule, let him minilter. Own him there;
if he will lie low there, if he will be faithful there,
ye may have unity with him. But in that his afpiring
temper, in his ruling, in his teaching by what he hath
gained, or what hath been given to him formerly (if
out of the prefent life) he is to be denied and turned
from.
If this rule of Chrift's had been kept to, antichrift's
power could never have got up : nor the poor innocent
lambs fo often have been worried by the wolves. Ah!
poor hearts! how fimply do they come thither, where
they once tailed refrefhment, to find wholefome ad-
vice, not fufpecling what is got up there fince, but
give the dominion to a wrong thing, and fo take
directions from a wrong fpirit, and betray their own
fimplicity.
Chrift urgeth this upon his difciples from his own
pattern, " even as the Son of Man came not to be
*' miniftered unto, but, &c." ver. 28. If any had right
to be great, furely Chrift ; if any had right to exercife
authority, furely Chrift ; if any was to be advanced
becaufe of any gift received, or becaufe of any pre-
fence of the Spirit with him, furely Chrift: yet Chrift
took not upon him this kind of grcatnefs, nor did ex-
ercife this kind of authority^ but he was a fervant ;
he made ufe of the gift of the Spirit, of the power
of life wherewith the Father filled him, to minifter
and ferve with. He did never lord it over the con-
fciences of any of his difciples j but did bear with
them, and pity them in their infirmities. ("What!
" can ye not watch wiih me one hour? The Spirit"
(laid
43S An Examination of
(faid he) " is willing, but the fiefh is weak.") He
did not hold forth to 'them whatever he knew to be
truth, requiring them to believe it; but was content
with them in their ftate, and waited till their capaci-
ties were enlarged, being dill fatisfied with the honefty
and integrity of their hearts in their prefent ftate of
weaknefs. Nor did he ftrive to reign over the world,
or call for fire from heaven, when they could not re-
ceive him, or exprefs indignation when they defired
him to depart out of their coafts, or pray for twelve
legions of angels when they came to betray him, and
rnoft unrighteoufly fought his life : but the life he had
received of his Father he gave up as a ranfom for his
difciples, yea, and for his enemies. Mark : he did
not make ufe of what was given to him, to raife him-
felf up above others, to make his word to ftand for a
law, and be received ; but he waited till that was
opened in his' difciples, and in the people, which was
able to receive his teftimony ; and he made ufe of his
power of life, and the fulnefs of the Spirit, to enable
him the more abundantly to ferve, and to wait in
patience for the fulfilling of the will of the Father.
And though Ifrael was not gathered by him, yet was
he meek, and patient, and at reft in the will of him
that fent him; and inftead of reigning over all, could
ferve all, and give that life (whofe due it was to reign)
** a ranfom for many," ver. 28.
" His kingdom was not of this world,'* nor did he
feekany greatnefs or authority according to this world,
neither over the Jews, nor over the Gentiles, nor over
his own difciples; but he ferved all, he fought the
good of all : the life in him which was to reign over all^
yet here ferved all, fuftered for all, and from all, and
that was his way to his crown; who having finiftied
his courfe, fulfilled his fervice, perfe6led his fufi'eringS;^
is fet down at the right-hand of the majefty on high,
where now he reigns over all, and is made a king by
God in righteoufnefs. And this is the pattern which
all his difciples are to walk by. The more life they
receive, the more they are to minifter j the more they
ar^
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 439
arc to ferve. They mull not lift up themfelves by
their gifts i they muft not hereupon lord it over others,
or hold forth their knowledge or doftrines, and think
to make others bow thereto; but wait in their fervice,
till the Lord make way into mens hearts, and plant
his truth there-, and upon him alfo muft they wait for
the watering and growth of it.
Quell: . Bui is there to be no greatnefsy no authority
among the difcipks of Jefus, or in the church of Chriji ?
Is every one to do what he willt to be JubjeSl to his own
fancies and imaginations^ to the inventions of his own
corrupt heart? What a confufed building will this he?
Surely this will not long remain a Zion ; but foon become a
Babylon, even an heap of diforder and confufion.
Anjw. There is to be no fuch kind of greatnefs, no
fuch kind of authority; yet there is both a greatnefs
and authority fuitable to the (late of difciples ; fuitable
to that kind of kingdom whereof they are. There
are laws, there are governments, there are governors,
there is ruling, and there is fubjeflion': but all in the
Spirit; all fuitable to that which is to be governed ;
but no government of, or according to, the flefh. As
Chrifl's kingdom is not of this world, fo the govern-
ment of his church and people is not according to this
world; but as that which gathers in his Spirit, and
that which is gathered is Ipiritual ; fo that which is
governed is the fpirits of his people, and they are to
be governed by his Spirit, and fpiritually, and not
after a flelhly manner.
Thus Chrift himfelf, though he miniftered to his
difciples, yet he alfo was their Lord and Mailer, and
in the Spirit and life of the Father ruled over them.
And thus the apoilles and other minifters of Chriil had
likewife, in the Spirit, the care of the churches, and
authority in the Lord, by his Spirit, to govern the
fpirits of his people : not to govern after a fieflily
manner, by their own wills : not to prefcribe to them
in a lordly way, either what they fhould believe or
pradife ; but, in the light and in the power of the
Spirit, to make their way into every one's confcience
in
44^ An Examination o^
in the fight of God, miniftering to every one in the
Spirit according to their capacity and growth, and
■waiting patiently for God to convey the food and nou-
rifliment, and to build their Ipirits up in the faith
thereby.
'The Jprit of the prophets is fubje£l to the prophets.
Here is the government, here is the law of rule and
fubjeflion in the life. Every one feeling a meafure of
the Spirit in himfelf, is thereby taught to own and
be fubjetl to greater meafure of the fame Spirit in
another. He that hath no meafure of the Spirit of
God, he is not of God, he is none of Chrift's: and he
that hath received a meafure of the Spirit, in the fame
Spirit feeleth another's meafure, and owneth it in its
place and fervice, and knoweth its moving, and can-
not quench it, but giveth way to it with joy and
delight. When the Spirit moves in any one to fpeak,
the fame Spirit moves in the other to be fubject and
give way: and fo every one keeping to his own mea-
fure in the Spirit, here can be no diforder, but true
fubjeftion of every fpirit j and where this is wanting,
it cannot be fupplied by any outward rule or order fet
up in the church by common confent : for that is
flefhly, and lets in the flelh, and deftroys the true
order, rule, and fubjeclion.
The apoftles and minifters of Chrill come from
Chrift with a melfage of life and falvation, with a tef-
timony concerning the good-will of God, and his love
to mankind ; pointing out the way from death to life,
from bondage to liberty, from wrath and deftru6tion to
peace and falvation. What they have feen, what they
have felt, what they have tailed, what they have
handled, what they have found redeem and deliver
them, that they declare abroad to others, as they are
moved, as they are fent, as they are guided and
aaifted.
Now that which they preach to is mens confciences
in the fight of God. They open the truth which they
knowj they give their teftimony in the moving, lead-
ing, and power of the Spirit, and they leave it to the
fame
THE GrOui^ds or Causes, Sec, 441
fame Spirit to demonftrate it to mens confciences as it
pleafeth. They are nothing, they can do nothing,
they cannot convert any man to Godj but the power
that fpeaketh by them, the fame power worketh in
other mens confciences at its pleafure. And here is
the beginning of the government of Chrift in the
heart; when his truth carries convi(5tion with it to the
confcience, and the confcience is drawn to yield itfelf
up to him, then he lays his yoke upon it, and takes
upon him the guiding of itj he cherifheth it, he clean-
feth it, he comforteth it, he ordereth it at his pleafure;
and he alone preferveth it pure, chafte, gentle, meek,
and pliable to the imprefTions of his Spirit. And as
the confcience is kept fingle and tender to Chrift, fo
his government increafes therein; but as it becomes
hard, or fubjedl to mens wills, fo another fpirit gets
dominion over it.
Therefore the great work of the minifter of Chrift
is to keep the confcience open to Chrift, and to pre-
lerve men from receiving any truths of Chrift as from
them further than the Spirit opens; or to imitate any
of their praftices further than the Spirit leads, guides,
and perfuades them. For perfons are exceeding prone
to receive things as truths from thofe whom they have
an high opinion of, and to imitate their pra6lices, and
fo hurt 'their own growth, and endanger their fouls.
For if I receive a truth before the Lord by his Spirit
make it manifeft to me, I lofe my guide, and follow
but the counfel of the flefti, which is exceeding greedy
of receiving truths, and running into religious prac-
tices, without the Spirit. Therefore the main thing in
religion is to keep the confcience pure to the Lord, to
know the guide, to follow the guide, to receive from
him the light whereby I am to walk ; and not to take
things for truths becaufe others fee them to be truths;
but to wait till the Spirit make them manifeft to me;
nor to run into worftiips, duties, performances, or
pradlices, becaufe others are led thither; but to wait
till the Spirit lead me thither. " He that makes hafte
" to be rich" (even in religion, running into know-
ledge,
442 An Examination of
ledge, and into worfnips and performances, before he
feel a true and clear guidance) " fhall not be innocent:"
nor the Lord will not hold him guiltlefs, when he
comes to vifit for fpiritual adultery and idolatry. The
apoftles were exceeding tender in this point: for
though they certainly and infallibly knew what was to
be believed ; yet they were not lords over mens faith,
but waited till he who is Lord of the faith, would
open the way into mens confciences. They did not
take upon them to be able to turn the key, to
let in truth and convi6lion into mens fpirits (as men
in thefe days have been too apt to undertake) •, but
direfted them to him who had the key, there to wait
for the convidion and illumination of their minds,
and fo to receive in, as they found him give forth to
them.
" Let every man," faith the apoflile, *^ be fully per-
«f fuaded in his own mind;" take heed of receiving
things too foon, take heed of running into pradices
too foon, take heed of doing what ye fee others do,
but wait for your own particular guidance, and for a
full perfuafion from God, what is his will concerning
you. Though I know this to be a truth, yet do not
ye receive it, till God make it manifeft to youj re-
ceive truth from his hand, flay till he give it you.
Indeed the main matter in religion is to keep out the
wrong part, the forward part ; the baftardly birth from
running into duties, catching of openings, and laying
hold of promifes; and to feel the heir born of the
immortal feed, to whom all belongs ; and that the
other birth never afterwards get up above him, but
be fubdued and brought into fubjedion.
Again, faith the apoftle, take heed of doing any
thing *' doubtingly j" be not forward, be not hafty;
wait for the leading, wait for the manifeftation of the
Spirit. Be fure thou receive what thou received in
faith, and pradife what thou pradifeft in faith; for
" whatfoever is not of faith is fin," being an error
from the principle of life, which is to guide; and
thereby
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 443
thereby thou lofeft" ground, and difhonoureft Chrifl,
and comeft under condemnation.
And fo the apoftle warns believers, to take heed of
drawing one another on too faft, or of judging one
another in fuch things as fome of them might have
light in, others nor. He that eateth, not to judge
him that did not eat; and he that did not eat, not to
judge him that did eat. Yea, in matters of worfhip,
he that obfcrved a day, and kept a fabbath, not to
judge him that obferved not a day, or kept not a fab-
bath; for the Jews, which were truly converted, were
yet hard to be drawn otF from the obfervation of their
fabbath, and could hardly bear with the believing
Gentiles, who were never taught to keep their fabbath
with them, but were taught to efteem every day, and
fandlify it to the Lord, Rom. xiv. 5. And thofe v/ho
efteemed every day, and dedicated it to the Lord
(ceafing from fin, and refting to him : for under the
gofpel v/e are not to fet up a new type, but to enter
by faith into the true reft, which is the fubftance of
what the other fignified) could hardly bear with them
who obferved a day. Even in the apoftles days,
Chriftians v^^ere too apt to flrive after a wrong unity
and uniformity in outward praftices and obfervations,
and to judge one another unrighteoufly in thefe things.
And markj it is not the different praclice from one
another that breaks the peace and unity, but the
judging of one another becaufe of different praftices.
He that keeps not a day, may unite in the fame
Spirit, in the fame life, in the fame love with him that
keeps a day; and he who keeps a day, may unite in
heart and foul with the fame Spirit and life in him
who keeps not a day; but he that judgeth the other
becaufe of either of thefe, errs from the Spirit, from
the love, from the life, and fo breaks the bond of
unity. And he that draws another to any pra(5tice,
before the life in his own particular lead him; doth,
as much as in him lies, deftroy the foul of that perfon,
ver. 15. This was the apoftle's rule, for every one
80 perform fingly to the Lord what he did, and not
Vol. I. Kk for
444 -A-N Examination of
for one to meddle with the light or confcience of
another (undervaluing his brother, or judging hinn
becaufe liis light and praftices differed from his,
chap. xiv. JO.) but every one to keep clofe to their
own meafure of light, even to that proportion of
faith and knowledge, which God of his mercy hath
beftowed on them. And here is the true unity in the
Spirit, in the inward life, and not in an outward
uniformity. That was not ne.ceffary in the apoftles
days, nor is it neceffary now ; and that eye which fo
dotes upon it, overlooks the one thing which is ne-
ceflfary. Men keeping clofe to God, the Lord will
lead them on faft enough, and give them light faft
enough ; for he taketh care of fuch, and knoweth
what light, and what pra61:ices are moft proper for
them; but for men to walk on fader than the Lord
holds forth his light to them, this overturns them,
raifing up a wrong thing in them, and the true birth
hereby comes to fuffer, to fhrink, and be driven back.
And oh! how fweet and pleafant is it to the truly
fpiritual eye, to fee feveral forts of believers, feveral
forms of Chriilians in the fchool of Chriil, every one
learning their ov/n leiTon, performing their own
peculiar fervice, and knowing, owning, and loving
one another in their feveral places, and different per-
formances to their Mafter, to whom they are to give
an account, and not to quarrel with one another about
their different pradlices ! Rom. xiv. 4. For this is the
true ground of love and unity, not that fuch a man
walks and does juft as 1 do, but becaufe I feel the
fame Spirit and life in him, and in that he walks in
his rank, in his own order, in his proper way and
place of fubjedion to that. And this is far more
pleafing to me, than if he walked juft in that rank
wherein I walk : nay, fo far as I am fpiritual I cannot
fo much as defire that he fhouki do fo, until he be
particularly led thereto, by the fame Spirit which led
me. And he that knows what it is to receive any
truths from the Spirit, and to be led into pra6tices by
the Spirit, and how prone the fleihly part is to make
hafte.
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 445
fiafte, and how dangerous that hafte is, will not be
forward to prefs his knowledge or pradices upon
others, but rather wait patiently till the Lord fit them
for the receiving thereof, for fear left they fhould re-
ceive and pradife too foon, even in that part which
cannot fcrve the Lord. And this I can truly fay con-
cerning myfelf, I never found my fpirit forward to
draw any, either to any thing I believed to be true,
or to any pra£lice or way of worfhip I obferved or
walked in; but defired that the power and leadings of
life might go before them, and was afraid left men
fhould receive things from my hand, and not from the
Lord's. Yea, and this I very well remember, thac
when I walked in the way of Independency (as it hath
been commonly called) I had more unity with, and
more love towards, fuch as were fingle-hearted in other
ways and practices of worftiip ("whofe fpirits I had
fome feeling of in the true fimplicity, and in the life)
than with divers of fuch who were very knowing and
zealous in that way of Independency, in whom a
wrong thing in the mean time had got up, which had
caufed them to fwerve from the life, and from the
fimplicity.
So that the true church-government being in the
Spirit, and over the -^onfcience as in the fight of God,
the great care muft be to keep it within its bounds,
that nothing elfe govern but the Spirit, and that the
government be extended only unto that which is to
be governed.
Firft, Care muft be had that nothing govern in the
church of Chrift, but the Spirit of Chrift : that no-
thing elfe teach j nothing elfe exhort J nothing elfe ad-
monifti and reprove 3 nothing elfe cut off and caft
out. Every minifter in the church is to watch over
his own fpirit, that it intrude not into the work of
God, that ic take not upon it to be the teacher, the
exhorter, the reprover, &c. And every member is to
wait in the meafure of the Spirit which he hath re-
ceived, to feel the goings forth of the Spirit m him
who tcacheth and governeth ; and fo to fubjed not
K k 2 to
44^ An Examination of
to man, but to the Lord ; to receive from the Lord,
to obey the Lord. Not to know any minifter accord-
ing to the flefh ; but to receive, and fubmit to what
comes from the Spirit, in the Spirit. Not to know
Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, but the Spirit minifter-
ing in them. Paul may err, Apollos may err, Peter
may err (and did err, when he compelled the Gentiles
to live as the Jews, Gal. ii. 14. for which Paul with-
ftood him to the face, ver. 11.) and Barnabas alfo did
err, ver. 13. But the Spirit cannot err; and he that
keeps to the meafure of the Spirit in himifelf, cannot
let in any of their errors, if they fhould errj but is
prefer ved. For the leafl meafure of the Spirit is true,
and gives true judgment -, but he that receiveth ever
fo great a meafure of the Spirit, yet if he keep not
low therein, but lifteth up himfelf becaufe thereof
above his brethren, may eafily err himfelf, and draw
afide others into his error.
Secondly, Care muft be had that the confcience be
kept tender, that nothing be received, but according to
the light in the confcience. The confcience is the feat
of faith; and if it be not kept clofe to the light which
God lighteth there, faith, is foon made fhipwreck of.
Chriftianity is begun in the Spirit, which keepeth out
the flefhly part, with all its flelhly wifdom and rea-
fonings about fpiritual things ; and as the beginning
is in the anointing, fo muft the progrefs be. As the
Spirit begins in the confcience, by convincing that,
by perfuading that, by fetting up his light there, and
leading the foul by that light; fo that light muft ftill
be eyed, and according to its growth and manifef-
tation in the confcience, fo muft the foul ftand ftill,
or go on.
The great error of the ages of the apoftafy hath
been, to fet up an outward order and uniformity, and
to make mens confciences bend thereto, either by
arguments of wifdom, or by force; but the property
of the true church-government is, to leave the con-
fcience to its full liberty in the Lord, to preferve it
fingle and entire for the Lord to exercife and to feek
unity
THE Grounds or Causes, Sec. 447
unity in the light and in the Spirit, walking fweetly
and harmonioufly together in the midfl of dif-
ferent pra6tices. Yea, and he that hath faith, and
can fee beyond another, yet can have it to himfelf,
and not difturb his brother with it, but can defcend
and walk with him according to his meafurej and if
his brother have any heavy burthen upon him, he can
lend him his fhoulder, and bear part of his burthen
with him. Oh! how fweet and lovely is it to fee
brethren dwell together in unity, to fee the true image
of God raifed in perfons, and they knowing and loving
one another in that image, and bearing with one ano-
ther through love, and helping one another under
their temptations and diftrefles of fpirit, which every
one muft expedt to meet with.
If thou art a Chriftian indeed and in truth, preferve
thy confcience pure and tender towards God j do not
defile it with fuch religious praftices, duties, ordinan-
ces, &c. as thou dolt not feel the Spirit leading thee
into ; for all fuch are idols, and exceedingly pollute
thee. And be tender alio of thy brother's confcience,
and be not an inftrument to draw him into any thing
which the Lord leads him not intoj but rejoice if thou
find him in fimplicity of heart ftartling at any thing;
for if he abide here faithful, his guide will in due
feafon appear to him, and clear up his way before
him J but if he be too hafty, he may follow a wrong
guide, and that guide will never lead him aright to-
wards the kingdom, but intangle him further and fur-
ther from it.
Oh ! how many have run a whoring from the Lord !
How many have firft loft the guidance of his Spirit,
and then drowned their life in religious perfcJriTiances 1
How many have drunk of the cup of fornication from
the life, at the hands of the flefhly wifdom ! How many
have filled their fpirit vv'ith New-Teftament idols and
images ! How many have even hardened their hearts
and confciences, by following the dodtrines of men,
their imaginary meaning of fcriptures, and the ima-
ginations and dreams of their own hearts! Is it not
K k 3 time
44^ An Examination of
time for men at length to turn back towards the Lord,
to wait for the vifitation and light of his Spirit; from
whom they have gone a whoring, and whom in all
things they have grieved ? And if ever any feel and
enjoy the guidance of God's Spirit, their confcience
muft be kept tender to it, and ready to hear and
follow his voice, who fpeaks in Spirit to that which is
born of him, which infallibly knows his voice, and
(being kept clear) cannot doubt concerning it.
" My fheep hear my voice," faith Chrift : they know
it, and the voice of the ftrange fpirit they know not
fo as to follow it, but turn from it, both in themfclves
and others. But that which is not the ilieep, but
hath only got the fheep's clothing, cries out; how
fhall we know the voice of the Spirit? We may be
deceived. Nay ; that which is born of God, that
which is the eled: of God, cannot be deceived. Wait
therefore for the birth of the Spirit, to which the
Spirit is given for a guide, who infallibly guides it oat
of deceit. All deceivers are out of this birth, out
of this Spirit; perhaps in fome birth or other framed
from the letter, and living in the imiration of fome
pra6lices and ordinances from the letter (under which
cover they lie in wait to deceive), but ftrangers to the
life and power, and to that wifdom which begets and
bears to God. Thus the Jews erred, and deceived
their profelytes before the qomipg of Chrift: thus the
Chriftians (in name) have generally erred all along the
apoftafy; and, indeed, for the generality, have not
been true Chriftians, but only a perfecuted remnant
amongft them ; whofe life hath been nouriftied and
preferved, not by doctrines and obfervations which
they have been taught by the precepts of men, nor
by the knowlege which they themfclves have gathered,
hoc by a little bread daily handed to them from the
Father of mercies out of the wildernefs; that was the
thing which nouriflied their fouls up to God, though
many of them knew not diftinclly what it was that
nouriftied them, nor how they game by it.
Objea.
THE Grounds or Causes, &c. 449
Objecl. But is not uniformity lovely-, and doth not the
apojlle exhort Chrijlians to be of one mind; and were it not
a Jweet thing if we were all of one heart and one way ?
Anf Yea, uniformity is very lovely; and to be
defired and waited for, as the Spirit of the Lord, which
is one, leads and draws into one. But for the flefhly
part (the v/ife reafoning part in nnan) by flefhly ways
and means to ftrive to bring about fiefhly uniformity,
which enfnares and overbears the tender confcience;
this is not lovely, nor fpiritual, nor Chriflian. And
the apoflle who exhorts Chriftians to one mind, yet
doth not bid them force one another into one mind,
but walk together fweetly fo far as they had attained ;
and wherein they were otherwife minded, God in his
due time would reveal rnore to them, Philip, iii. 15, 16.
He that hath, to him fhall be given. And the intent
and work of the miniflry (with the feveral miniftra-
tions of it) is to bring into the unity, Ephef. iv. 13.
as perfons are able to follow : and not to force all men
into one p^ra(5tice or way ; that is the way to deflroy
the faith, and the true unity, and at beft can intro-
duce but a fieflily appearance of unity, in fuch a
form of worfliip and godlinefs as eats out the power.
And for being of one heart and one way, blefTed be
the Lord, this is in meafure known and witnefTed.
The way is one ; Chrift the truth of God j and he
that is in the faith, and in the obedience to that light
which fhines from his Spirit into the heart of every
believer, hath a tafle of the one heart, and of the
one way j and knoweth that no variety of practices,
which is of God, can make a breach of the true
unity. This is the one way, for every one to be fub-
jeft to that light of Chrift's Spirit which he hath re-
ceived from Chrifl: 3 and every one keeping here^ there
is alfo one part kept in the midft of all the variety,
and diverfity of practices. And the unity being thus
kept, all will come into one outwardly alfo at length,
as the light grows in every one, and as every one
grows into the light j but this muft be patiently
K k 4 waited
45© Some Considirajions
waited for from the hand of God (who hath the right
way of cffe6ling it, and who alone can do it) ; and
not harlhly and cruelly attempted by the rough hand
of man,
SOME
CON S I DE RATIONS
Concerning the State of Things, relating to what
hath been, now is, and fhortly is to come to
pafs3 warning all People to look about them,
and to wait on the Lord for the unerring
Light of his Spirit, that they may know the
Times and Seafons, and the Work which
G o D is now about in the World, which is
Great and Wonderful ; and fo m^ not be
found Fighters againfh God, his Truths, and
the Witnefles of this Age and Generation;
more particularly Lamenting over and Ex-
horting England. With a faithful Teflimony
concerning the Qju a K e r s.
i.rTT^HATthe fpoufe of Chrlrb, the true church
_|_ which God built in the apoftles days by his
Spirit, the church againft which the gates of hell
could not prevail J the church which was the temple of
the living God, the pillar and ground of truth; the
woman which was clothed with the fun, who had the
moon under her feet, and was crowned with a crown
of twelve ftars, &c. this church, at the clofe of the
fight between Michael with his angels, and the dragon
with his angels, fled into the wiidernefs, into the
place
CONCERNING THE StaTE OF ThINCS. 45I
place prepared of God for her. Rev. xii. 6. having
two wings of a great eagle given her, that fhe might
fly thither to her place; where fhe was to abide, and
be hid from the face of the ferpent, and to be fed
with the living noiirifliment from the hand of the
Father all the time of antichrift's reign, which is faid
to be a time, times, and half a time, ver. 14. or one
thoufand two hundred and fixty days, as ver. 6. or
forty- two months, as chap. xi. 2. And fhe was ac-
cordingly gone out of fight, infomuch as the ferpent
could find her no more, but *^ went to make war with
" the remnant of her feed, which kept the command-
** ments of God, and have the teftimony of Jefus
« Chrift," Rev. xi. 17.
2. That the true church cannot come out of the
wildernefs, till the time of her abode there (the fet
time appointed by God) be ended, nor then neither,
but by the out-ftrerched arm of the Lord, Pfal. cii. jj.
She may mourn over her defolate wildernefs-ftate, but
ihe cannot fly out of it, without the help of the
wings of the fame eagle, which were given her to fly
into it. The Lord muil pity the duft of Sion^ and, by
his everlalting ftrength and compafllon, raife up the
tabernacle of David, which is fallen down, or it can
be reftored no more, ver. 16. Rev. xxi. 3.
3. That the ftate of the people of God, all this
time of the true church's abfence, hath been a (tate of
captivity. The feed hath been in bondage in Egypt
the dark land, in Babylon the land of confufion (for
fuch all the church buildings, order, and government
have been, in comparifon with the true order and
government of the church by the Spirit, v/hich was
known and enjoyed by the people of God, before this
her flight) ; where they have been mourning under the
chains of darknefs, and lamenting over their mother;
for Sion hath been laid wafle, and Jerufalem, the
holy city, hath been trodden under foot by the Gen-
tiles ; to whom the outward court was given, v/hcn
God took down his building, and fecured his temple,
altar, and the worfliippers therein, Rev. xi. 2. And
in
452 Some Considerations
in this ftdte God finds his people, when he comes to
overthrow her (to bring death, and mourning, and
famine, and fire upon her. Rev. xviii. 8.) and to
redeem them ; for then tlie voice goes forth from the
Spirit of the Lord, to the fpirits of his people,
" Come out of her, my people; that ye be not par-
*' takers of her fins," Sec. ver. 4. Why? were the peo-
ple of God in her till now? Yea, till the very hour of
her judgment, and are many of them in great danger
of flaying there, even till they feel her plagues ? They
that fit down in any church building, taking it for
Sion, before God's feafon of building his Sion, fit
down but in Babylon, it is no other-, though they who
have drunk of the falfe woman's cup (new mixed for
them, and fo are inchanted afrefli into fome new fine-
painted bed of her fornication), cannot believe it to
be fo.
4. That when God redeems his people out of Baby-
lon, he brings them not immediately unto Sion (not
immediately into a built city), but into the wildernefs
where the church lies unbuilt, where they are prepared
and fitted for the holy land, and circumcifed in fpiric
before their entrance. There is a long travel from
Babylon to Sion; wherein the haily fpirit, the rough
fpirit, the exalted fpirit, the murmuring fpirit; the
felf-wili, felf-worfiiip, felf-wifdom, knowledge, and
righteoufnefs (all which are of great price in Babylon)
is cut down ; and the fpirit broken, emptied, made
poor, deeply humbled, and fo prepared for God's holy
hill. When a Babylonilli building or way of vv^orlliip
is difcovered, man would fain have another ready, to
put in the place of it fo foon as it is pulled down.
Thus man's wifdom would order it, but the Lord will
not have it fo ; but there muft be a feafon of defolation,
of ftripping, of nakednefs, of being unclothed of all
the purple and fcarlet dye of Babylon, Rev, xvii. 4.
A pulling ofi^ the ornaments of all the knowledge,
"worfiiip, ordinances, duties, experiences, &c. which
are held and praftifed out of the pure life. And in this
ftate of mifery and fore diftrefs, the Lord lays the
foundation
CONCERNING THE StaTE OF ThINGS. 453
foundation of the new heavens, and of the new earth,
in the fpirits of his people ; which, when it is finifhed,
then at length he faith to Sion, ** Thou art my peo-
** pie," Ifa. li. 16.
Obferve therefore the error of the reformations fince
the apoftafy. They have been ftill building too faft,
and not waiting on God to be hewn and fquared, and
fitted for his building. I'he reformed churches have
ftill been built of (tones before they were made ready
for the building. They have not waited their time of
preparation in the wildernefs, nor have they waited
for God's building them up into a temple, nor for the
time and feafon wherein it is God's pleafure to build.
So that though they did well in feparating from that
which was corrupt and manifeftly evil; yet they did
not well in making hafte into another way of their own
forming, but fliould have waited for God's inanifefla-
tion of the good, and for his leading of them by his
Spirit into it. And by this means it has come to pafs,
that though there hath been a pure thing often (tirring
towards reformation ; yet by an over forward haftening
to build, the good hath been quenched, and the evil
hath again (under a new cover or form of worfhip)
overgrown it, and then hath been ready to revile and
perfecute the good in others : but this the eye which is
overtaken Vv'ith tf-.e appearing beauty of its building
(having concluded it to be according to the will of
God revealed in the fcriptures) cannot difcern.
5. That when Sion is rebuilt, when the church its
heaven is again ftretched forth (wherein fhe was feated
before ilie fled into the wildernefs, Rev. xil. i.)
thofe that are God's faithful witneflTes (into whom the
Spirit of life hath entered, and whom he hath caufed
to itand upon their feet) (hall afcend up to heaven in a
cloud, which their very enemies fhall behold. Rev. xi.
12. And this was done in the time of a great earth-
quake, wherein the tenth part of the city fell, ver. i 9.
The fhaking at this time is very great in this nation ;
let them mark what will be the iiTue, and obferve
whether (notwithftanding all the feeming contrarieties)
the
454
Some Considerations
the Lord God doth not fo order it, as to bring a con-
fiderable part of Babylon down, and of the powers that
uphold her.
The people of God, all this time of antichrift's reign,
have been a fuffering people. The tender-hearted
every-where (whofe fouls could only bow to the Lord,
who could not receive do6lrines from men, or fall into
worfliips and practices at the will of man) have lain operi
to church ccnfures (as they call them), and to the
magiftrates indignation, under the names of heretics,
blafphemers, feducers, and difturbers of the peace
both of church and ftate : and indeed fo far. as any
have tafted of the true light and pov;er of Chrift, and
have been called forth by him to be his witnefles, they
could not but be difturbers of the carnal peace and
fecurity of the antichriftian congregations againft
whom they witnefTed. When the true church fled into
the wildcrnefs, the ferpent caft a flood after her : Ihe
was reproached and blafphemed for aw harlot, a
ftrumpet, one that was not the Lamb's v/ife, as (he
pretended. Rev. xii. 15. For the dragon which per-
fecuted her (having now gained her ground) had fet
up another woman for the true church, and had decked
her richly. Rev. xvii. 4. inlbmuch as fhe was ad-
mired for her beauty by all the kings and inhabiters
of the earth, ver. 2. but fhe which was indeed the
true woman, was trampled upon and defpifed, even
by all the outward worfhippers in the outward court
all over the world, Rev. xi. 2. And if thofe of the
fynagogue of Satan could contend to be the true Jews,
and the true church, even while the true church was
Handing, Rev. iii. 9. no marvel though they carry it
clear in their feveral forms and difguifes in the time of
her flight and abfence, efpecially they appearing both
in the place where fhe once was, and in her very drefs:
and here is the eye of God's Spirit, and of the wifdom
he gives to his babes tried, even to difcern and fly
from her there. Let her paint ever fo often, change
her dreffes in every hour of reformation, come nearer
and nearer into the likenefs of the true churchy yet
that
CONCERNING THE StATE OF ThINGS, ^^^
that which is born of the truth efpieth her; and the
young man whofe ear is kept open to the voice of
wifdom, which uttereth itfelf in the immortal feed,
efcapeth her bed, and is not defiled with the great
whore, nor with any of her women or daughters, who
are born of her after her fpirit, though they deny her,
and feem much to differ from her according to the
flejfh. Rev. xiv. 4. Enter into the myflery of life
(from out of the reach of the fpirit of witchcraft) and
read me here, that in the true eternal light of all the
living, thou maycft perceive the myftery of deceit,
and efcape as a bird from the fnare, and live. Now
the true church being thus fled, what becomes of her
feed? They muft needs be fcattered ; they can no
more be found in a body as before; there is now but a
remnant left which " keep the commandments of God,
" and have the teftimony of Jefus Chrift," and thefe
the dragon applies himfelf (till to manage the war
againft. Rev. xii. 17. And the bcaft (to whom the
dragon gave his power. Rev. xiii. 2. and upon whom
the falfe church was found fitting even to the very laft.
Rev. xvii. 3.) did not only make war with the faints,
but alfo overcame them : and this power was given
him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations,
ver. 7. of chap. xiii. So that the holy city was to be
kept down and trampled under foot by the falfe wor-
fhippers, under one form or appearance of church-
worfhip or other, all the time of the bead's reign.
Rev. xi. 2. And as the beaft did kill them, fo the
woman that fat upon the beaft drank their blood.
Rev. xvii. 6. For mark j the dragon, the firft beaft,
the fecond beaft with the falfe church, are all in unity
together, and drive on their war and defign, under
difguifes and appearances of truths and c-hurch-
worlhip, and difcipline, againft the Lamb and his
followers} againft every appearance of Chrift in his
truth and people. And every v/here, where he can
get into any form without the power, there he
manageth his war by the form againft the power.
Thus in popery, by crying up holy church, he knocks
down
45^ Some Consider a't ions
down all the fpringings up of truth there -, fo in Epif-
copacy, by crying up that form, how did he knock
down the buildings up of the true life and power
there alfo ! And if he be driven out there, tlien he
(lands ready to enter into the next form, either of Pref-
bytery or Independency, that he may not want the ad-
vantage of a cover to keep his war on foot ftill againft
the faints and the truths of Chrift: and here lies his
flrength j and the liker his form is to that which once
was true, the better it ferves to cover him; and he has
better advantage of fighting under it againft Chrift,
his truths and people, than under another which is not
fo like. But antichrift's reign (who hath taken the
name upon him without the nature, and fo perfecuted
the true nature, being covered with the name) is to
have an end; yea (blelfed be the Lord) it is in part
ended, and the Lamb's day is already begun, the out-
ftretched arm of the Lord's everlafting power is re-
vealed, and revealing more and more : yea, Babylon
is already difcovered, her waters are dried up, her
nakednefs under all her covering is feen, her very life
and fpirit is ftruck at, her kingdom totters daily; the
ftakes alfo of Sion's tabernacle are ftrengthening daily,
and the Lord is ftretching out her curtains, and in-
larging her territories : and the wrath iflues out more
and more from the throne, and dreadful woes and
plagues are prepared for them, who are either uphold-
ing any old likenefles of what once was true, or fetting
up any new ones in this day of God's power, wherein
he is redeeming and bringing forth the life itfelf.
Is it not plain that the bead (or antichrift, who fat
in the temple of God, ruling there as a beaft by out-
ward force, without the inward life and power,
a Thef. ii. 4.) had power given him to coiitinue his
war againft the faints, till the very expiration of the
forty-two months ? Rev. xiii. 5. And was not this
power given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and
nations? ver. 7. Did not the falfe church, or falfe
woman, till the very end of this time (in one ap-
pearance or other, under fome form of worfhip or
other i
CONCERNING THE StATE OF ThINGS. 457
Other ; lometimes in a groffer and more loathfome,
fometimes in a finer and more taking drcfs) Hill go
for the true church, being upheld by the kings and
inhabitants of the earth, who all drank of her cup of
fornication? Rev. xvii. 1. 4. Was not the holy city
(or the true church) trod under foot all this while in
every kindred, nation, &c. by the heathenifh fpirit of
the anti-chriftian Chrillians therein, who made a great
fliew of zeal and v/orlhip in the outward court i*
Rev. xi. 2. For while the holy city is to remain un-
built, he that will worflTip in it mud fink into its
ruins, and lie defolate with it; but he that will be
building before God's time, rejedls the corner ftone,
which lies hid in the ruins of this city, and fo builds
up a Babylon, to which though he gives the name of
Sion, yet it is not fo in truth; but Sion lies underneath,
in the duft, trampled upon, and fet at nought by him
and his building. Now fhall the forty-two months
never have an end? And fliall the holy city never rife
again from under the feet of the anti-chriftian pro-
feifors and worfhippers of the outward court ? Shall
the walls of Sion never be built more ? Or is it to be
expe6led, when the Lord begins to build her up,
and bring her forth, that ever any of the falfe churches
fhould own her ? O fear therefore before the Lord !
every one entering into that in his own heart, which
(being hearkened unto) teacheth the fear, and brcak-
eth the pride, loftinefs, and conceitedncfs of the hicrh-
imagining mind, which firft builds up with apprehen-
fions about the church, and worfhips without the
fpirit, and then is offended with that which cannot bow
to thofe images. But be it known unto you, O na-
tions and powers of the earth, that the Lord hath
raifed up a people, whofe knees can alone bow at the
name of Jefus, and whofe tongues can alone confefs
to him. And if Nebuchadnezzar's fp.rit fliould heat
a furnace of affliction feven times hotter than it hath
yet been heated all this day of the cruel fufFerings of
God's dear people, and threaten all with it that will
not bow to the image or form of worlhip which he fets
upi
458 Some Considerations
up; yet this we know afluredly, that the Lord hath
begotten a feed which he can deliver, and which we
do not doubt but he will deliver, let antichrift's fea
and waves roar ever fo loud againft them. But, how-
ever, bow to any image they cannot ; for they have
tailed of the living truth itfelf, which hath made them
free from fuch images and idols wherein they were
before intanglcd j and the Spirit of the Lord calieth
aloud to them to (land fall in the liberty wherewith
Chrifl hath fet them free, and not receive any more
the yoke of bondage upon their necks, but to draw
under the fweet gentle yoke of his Spirit.
O England, England ! how fad is thy ftate ! how
great and mighty things hath the Lord done for thee !
but thou dill overlookefl his hand, and art offended
with the work of his Spirit, becaufe it fuits not with
thy fleihly defires and interefts. O England, England !
what will become of thee ? The Lord hath kindled
his fire, and thou added fuel daily. The Lord is
arifen to make inquifition for the fufferings and blood
of his people ; and thou, inflead of repenting of what
thou haft done, art greedy of more. Thou haft deeply
drunk of the whore's cup of fornication, and that
makes thee thus thirfty after the faints blood. Thou
crieft out againft thofe that put the martyrs to death,
as the profefTmg Jews did againft thofe that put the
prophets to death j and yet perfecuteft their Spirit
where -ever it appears in further profecution of the
work of reformation at this day, even as the Jews did
perfecute the Spirit of the prophets in Chrift and his
apoftles. O mourn to the Lord to open thine eyes,
that thou mayeft not thus ftand any longer in his
way ! Let him bring forth his church, let him fet up
his truth, let him advance his people, and do not
thou go about to limit the Spirit of the Holy One in
them. There is none of thefe will harm thee, but
bring bleflings upon thee. Let thy governors keep
within their bounds, and be a defence upon all people
in their juft rights and liberties, and fee if from that
day he do not blefs thee. But if there be one thing
ill
CONCERNING THE StATE OF ThINGS. 45^5
in the Lord's heart concerning his people, and ano-
ther thing in thine; if he refolve to bring them forth
to his praife, and to give them their liberty in their
obedience to his Spirit, and thou refolve they fhall
come under thy yokes and bonds, how can ye agree ?
Your wrath by this means mufb needs be kindled
againfl each other, and he that hath moft ftrength will
carry it. For as the day of your wrath is come, to
fee the people of God fo increafe, grow bold in his
truth and power; fu the day of his wrath is come, to
fee his people fo reproached, hated, hunted, and per-
fccuted, for his name's fake. Rev. xi. 18. And take
heed, left upon that fpirit which in this generation
ftill continues perfecuting, the fufFerings, perfecutions,
and blood of all the faints and martyrs (ftied all the
time of antichrift's reign) be not required. The blood
of all the prophets, from Abel to Zacharias, was re-
quired of that great profefling generation of the Jews,
who fpakc fuch great words of Mofcs and the pro-
phets, but perfecLited Chrift and his apoftles, Mat.
xxiii. 35. And the blood of all the fouls that lie
under the altar, crying, ** How long, O Lord, holy
** and true, doft thou not judge and avenge our blood
" on them that dwell upon the earth ?" 1 hey were
bid to reft a little feafon, and then the blood of all
that ever were flain ftnce the apoftles days is to bd
required of that generation of profeflbrs, which are
found even to the wcry laft in the perfecuting fpirit.
Rev. vi. 10, II.
I do not write this to reproach any fort of profef-
fors J but in true love and bowels of compaflion, that
fuch among them as ever had any tafte of God, and
of his fweet meek Spirit, but are now grown hard,
and found fmiting their fellow-fervants, may (if it be
poflible) hear the Lord's voice, which yet tenderly
calls after them, that they may not be cut in pieces,
and receive their portion of wrath with Babylon, Mat,
xxiv. 49, 50, 51. Rev. xviii. 4. As forme, I am poor
and weak (a worm, and no man), one who hath been
a mourner and wanderer in a tlrangc land all my days j
Vol. I, LI yea.
460 Some Considerations
yea, I have been that fool, who though I have often
been very near, yet ftill knew not the way to the city
of my God, Ecclef. x. 15. And at prefent I am very
unworthy and unfit to be the inftrument in the Lord's
hand for the reclaiming of any man from his wander-
ings. Yet this I can in truth and uprightnefs fay
concerning the Lord's gracious dealings with me,
that in the bowels of his mercy he hath vifited me,
and turned my face toward his Sion : and his life and
Spirit (as he pleafeth to keep me frefh and open) I
know both my way and my leader j and alfo that which
is mine enemy, which continually endeavoureth to
betray and devour me. And I fpeak the truth in
Chrift, I lie not. I know alfo what I have felt wrath
and mifery upon, and what the Lord hath fo long
and fo feverely fmitten in me, he will not fpare in
others. Oh ! that men could hear, and avoid my
bed of torment, where I fuffered a moft dreadful and
terrible hell for many years (bear with me, for I can-
not call it lefs), though without cither guilt upon my
fpirit, or fear of wrath, being juftified before God in
my own confcience (till afterwards, under long con-
tinuance of mifery and thick darknefs, fome guilt
was contracted), and having a fecret root of hope con-
cerning good from God, if once I might appear in
his prefence to plead my caufe there. Who can pof-
fibly believe the mifery I endured (if it were related) !
and yet it had not the leaft mixture of either of thefe
in it for a long time. But after this, through the
ignorance and thick darknefs wherewith I had been
long overwhelmed, not knowing what had been, and
ilill was, prefent with me, the tempter by his fubtilty
got in, and led out my mind from what had vifited
and fought after me all my days, to wait and hope for
fome great appearance to fet me to rights : and here
my lofs was very great, my foul being hereby removed
far away from the prefent feeling of the fpring of
my life, and drawn to negledt the little dawnings of
that light which fhineth more and more to the perfect
day J
CONCERNING THE StaTE OF ThINCS. 461
day; having concluded in myfelf that no lefs would
fuffice to heal me, than its breaking forth in its full
ftrength, even at noon upon me. Thus I defpifed the
day of fmall things, and was feduced into a gaping
after, and waiting for that, which is never fo to be
received: but the little feed of light being received,
and finding good and honeft earth, groweth up therein
even to perfe6tion, and then knowech and receivetli
the light of the day in its full ftrength. And although
there was fuch a favour of God left in me, that upon
the firft converfe with this people called Quakers,
I could own the voice of God in them, and ict to my
feal (as in the prefence of God) that it was the true
life and power of the Moft High whereof they were
born; yet I could not but defpile it as a weak and
low appearance thereof; yea, and flarted back from it,
as being fuch a kind of difpenfation of life and power
as was to pafs away; and the pafling away whereof
from me had made me fo miferable. And now I am
as one born out of due time, and come lagging be-
hind ; feeling myfelf altogether unworthy to be num-
bered amongll them, or to be^^ a teftimony to that
truth and power of life wherein they flourifh, and by
which they are redeemed and bought out of the eaith
with the price of the living immortal blood of Jefus,
by which (together with the word of iiis teltimony)
they cannot but overcome all the powers of darknefs
(with all the powers of the earth, which ftand in the
darknefs, and fight under the darknefs), being taught
thereby not to love their lives unto the death. But
the fcoffing conceited profeflbr will be ready to fay,
PFbat ! are thcje the only people ? Others befides them are
as dear to God as they. 'There are many in forms equal
to them, and many out of forms far beyond them. Whereto
1 anfwer thus; Yea, there are fo in the fcale of man's
judgment: but not fo in the meafure of the fanCluary.
Thefe are the only redeemed people that my foul
knows of. There is a feed befides them, not yet
gathered, but in Babylon, whom the Lord (in his due
feafon) will gather into the fame light, life, and
L 1 2 poweri
46a Some Considerations, &c.
power; but there is no other Saviour but that light
eternal which hath given them life, and dwells in
them J who is rifen in them, come to them, and hath
taken them into himfelf ; in whom they are, even in
him that is true, who is the Son of God, the true God,
and the life eternal, i John v. 20. who hath poured
forth his Spirit upon them, in which they minifter and
gather up to God thofe who have an ear to hear the
voice of his Spirit. Beware, therefore, O ye nations
and powers of the earth, what ye do againft his peo-
ple! for ye cannot prevail by any inchantment againft
thefe whom the Lord hath blefled , but the more ye
ftrive to vilify and fupprefs them, the more the Lord
will magnify and exalt them. And the life which
God hath raifed up in them muft reign, do what ye
can againft it. O abafe yourfelves, and kifs the Son,
O profefTofs and powers of the earth ! that ye be not
cut off: for the Lord's hand is lifted up, and in his
jealoufy he will fmite home for the fake of Sion; for
his ear hath heard the cry of the poor and needy, whom
no man regardeth, Ifa. xxxii. 10, 11.
A WARN-
r 463 ]
WARNING of LOVE,
FROM THE
BOWELS of LIFE,
TO THE
Several Generations of Professors
of this AGE;
That they may awaken and turn towards the
Life, to be truly cleanfed and faved by its
powerful living Virtue, before the Storm of
Wrath break forth, and the overflowing Scourge
overtake them, which will fweep away the
ilrongeft and moft well-built Refuge of Lies ;
and fink thofe Souls even into the Pit of Mi-
fery, which are there found when the Storm
comes.
Held forth in Four Propositions, Assertions, or
Considerations, concerning MAN in his Lost
State, and his Recovery out of it,
PROPOSITION I.
'That Man is f alien from GOD.
THERE is an everJafting, infinite, pure fountain,
and well-fpring of life, from whence all crea-
tures came ; from whence their life, being, motion,
virtue, and reft flows j in which they all have a place
L 1 3 and
464 A Warning of Love from
and {landing according to their nature, eftate, tem-
perature, and courfe of operation in his eternal coun-
fel, who made all, difpofeth of all, ruleth in and over
all eternally ; whofe everlafting kingdom and domi-
nion (which was before all, and will be after all) can-
not be excluded by any power or dominion which
arifeth after it ; but only fo far as itfelf hath pleafed,
it hath given way to that power of darknefs, which is
contrary to it; which how it fprang up, what it hath
to do, and how it is to vanifh, is not for man's com-
prehenfion to fathom.
In this fpring of life, man had an efpecial place and
{landing. The Lord had created and placed him fu-
preme, under himfelf, over the works of his hands ;
gave him his kingdom here on earth under him, gave
him his image to rule in, even a iufficient meafure of
that eternal wifdom in which he formed him, to
which he was to be fubjetl himfelf, and by which he
was to reign over and order all with delight, joy, and
comfort in himfelf, to the praife and glory of him
who formed all, and had given him dominion over
all. Here was the fweet eftate, the fweet peace, the
fweet liberty, the fweet uniformity of all; all being
kept and preferved in that life, virtue, wifdom, good-
nefs, power, and love wherein they were made; the
creatures naturally becoming fubjed: to, ferving and
obeying man (man ufing them and ruling over them
not in the tyranny, not in the luft, not in the vanity,
not in the excefs ; but in the righteoufnefs, in the
love, in the meeknefs, in the moderation, in the
divine wifdom, in the pure power and virtue of the
life) ; man likewife naturally veiling to his Maker,
walking in his light, living in his life, {liining in his
beauty, conquering and triumphing over all that
might a{fault, in his llrength, and continuing perfect
and ftraight before him in purity and cleannefs of the
creature (not degenerated) towards his Creator and
Preferver. Now what could man want, having the
fpring of life fo near him ? What could he defire, in
the purity, in the life, which the Father of life could
have
THE Bowels of Life, Sec, 4^5
have withheld from him ? Had he afked in the Spirit;
could the Father have denied him ? And had he flood
ftill a while in the life, out of the lull, could he
have forborne aflcing in the Spirit ? Had he not fo
fuddenly been tempted to the tree of knowledge,
furely he had eaten of the tree of life, and had lived
for ever.
Bui man being in honour^ lodged not one night (he fell
THE FIRST NIGHT, read me who can), hut became like
the beajis that ■perijh. He loft the divine image, and
then had at beft but the natural j but that depending
upon the divine, the beauty thereof was loft too. He
loft the eternal wifdom, he loft the fpring, he loft the
godhead, he loft that which was to reign over the
creatures, and then he became but as the creatures ;
nay, worfe than the creatures. What he henceforth
knows of God (as he ftands in the degeneration) he
knows naturally, like brute beafts (even by the natu-
ral exercife of his mind, with the faculties thereof,
even as the beafts learn and know by their nature,
-after their kind) ; and in what he thus knows, he
corrupts himfelf worfe than the beafts. Let the Lord
try him ever fo much, ever fo often ; drop down of
the dew of hea^ven upon him, fend him line upon line,
precept upon precept., now a lit tie , and then a little^ yet
he ftill remains brutifli, both in his underftanding,
receiving, and in his making ufe of it all. Still he
forgets the truth, and lofes himfelf in the image;
gets a notion, an imagination, a comprehenfion of
Ibmewhat into his natural part (which changes him
not inwardly, but ftill he is the fame in his root,
ground, and nature), but the life, the eternal virtue,
he is ftill eftranged from, and fo is brutifti in all his
knowledge and apprehenfions of God and his truths j
brutifh in his worfhipping of him, brutifti in his belief
and hopes, and his immortal foul perifties under all.
Outward Ifrael was a true and full refemblance of
him, who had many teachings, a pure law of worfliip
and facrificing, many prophets to reduce and reftore
them to the right path of holinefs and obedience, but
L 1 4 ftiill
466 A Warning of Love from
ftill they were erring in their hearts from the Lord,
and his pure law of life ; not knowing their owner,
or their mafher's crib, fo well as the ox. or afs did
theirsj Ifa. i. 3.
PROPOSITION II.
That man, by all the imaginations that can enter into his
hearty and by all the r/ieans he can uje, or courjes he can
run^ cannot return back to God again, or Jo much as
dejire it.
THE fall of man from God is fiich, that it hath
benumbed all his fenfes j yea, fo bereft him of
them, that he cannot feel his own eftate. He is dead,
fpiritually dead; and can no more feel his death, his
spiritual death, than a man naturally dead can his
natural death. He is bewitched into a fool's paradife,
where he hath a new life, a new virtue, a new wifdom,
a new kingdom, a new dominion (which is indeed
but death) ; with which he is fo tranfported, that he
forgetteth the old; and in this new fpirit and eilate
cannot fo much as defire after it. Men fpeak of the
reliques of the image which the firfl man had : Ah !
poor deceived hearts ! What reliques of life are there
in a dead man ? What reliques of purity in a man
wholly degenerated and corrupted ? Nay, nay ; the
fpiritual image, the divine image, the eternal life, the
pure power and virtue, is wholly loft; and there is
nothing left, but what is captivated and deftroyed
through the degenerating power. There is nothing
at all of the eternal kingdom, of the fpiritual image, of
the divine life, to be found in fallen man, but a little
feed J and that feed not fo much as fown in the earth,
as he ftands in the degeneration ; for the fowing of it
is the beginning of the work anew. And now, who
can read this riddle ? 'The kingdom is within every man^
and yet not fo much as /own in any man, till the fpringing
up of the eternal virtue, according to the eternal fleafure ;
nay.
THE Bowels of Life, &c. 467
nay, the earth is not Jo much as prepared to receive thefeedy
until the Lord fend his plough into the heart. So that it
is impoITible for fallen man to attain to fo much as one
true breathing or defire after God again ; this miift
arife from the grace, from the mercy, from a new
begetting (by the free gift) towards life, towards the
divine image again i which was (lain in man (and the
imprefllon of it on him wholly loft) ever fince the
foundation of the world in his heart, which God hath
fet there, ever fince he chofe it. And, indeed, fallen
man, degenerated man (VvOuId the Spirit of the Lord
let him alone, and not difquiet him) likes his own
eftate well enough. The world being written in his
heart, his thoughts and defires are centered there, and
of themfeives reach no further. Might he but have
the enjoyment of the creatures without, and the en-
joyment of fuch a kind of earthly knowledge and
wifdom within, as he now afpires after, he would fit
down in Egypt and Babylon, refting fully fatisfied
with Egyptian knowledge and wifdom, and with the
Babyloniih trcafures (might he have enough of them.) ;
and never think of Sion, and the pure holy land of
life any more.
But when the Eternal ftirs in him, v/Iien the pure
light opens at any time, then he has fome little glim-
merings of his eftate, then he has fome fenfe of his
fallen condition, and fome defire to remedy it : What
doth he then ? Then he beftirs himfelf to get fome-
what to cover him, then he gathers (lones, and makes
mortar to build up a wall and raife a tower, that he
may not lie open to the deluge of wrath ; for, by this
ftirring of the life, he hath jbme little tafte and fight
that he is not one with the life, but departed from it.
The foul, being awakened by the opening of its own
fpring in it, begins to feel the want of its fpring. It
wants tfie true virtue, the true peace, the true joy,
the true comfort and refrelhment, the true reft, the
true liberty, the true life, the true light; and for
want of this, its eftate is miferable ; and in the ftir-
ring of the fpring, it feels this mifery -, and in this
feeling
468 A Warning of Love from
feeling it groans, it mourns, it pants, it cries out,
and the creatural earthly fpirit can have no reft becaufe
of it. What therefore doth the creature do to ftill
this cry ? Why, it joineth, as it were, with the foul ;
it ufeth all the means it can to attain that which the
foul fees the want of: it inquireth after God, heark-
eneth out after thofe that know him, ftudieth the law,
obferveth the ftatutes and ordinances, performeth the
duties, believeth, prayeth, hopeth, waiteth ; nay, what
is it which the creature will not fet upon in this diftrefs
(efpecially if the conviftions of the eternal light pur-
fue and follow him clofe) to ftill the cry of the foul,
and to attain the price of the eternal inheritance, which
is fet before the foul ; which the foul can never be at
reft or fatistied without fome alfurance of, and progrefs
towards. But all this will not do. Man in all his
own obedience, as well as in his difobedience, is (hut
out. " There is a flaming fword which turns every
*' way, to keep the way of the tree of life j" infomuch
as man can by no means come at the way to the true
life, nor enter into the ftrait and narrow path that
leads thereto, but as he is cut to the heart, his life let
out, and as he dies, and comes into unity with that
which flays him, and keeps the way from him. So
that man, in his running to God, is thruft by ; as well
as in his running from him : in his willing and deflring
after him he is rejeded, as well as in his willing againft
him. " It is not of him that willeth, nor of him
" that runneth, but of God that flieweth mercy."
Mark ; there is a birch of bloods, a birth of the will
of the flefli, a birth of the will of man, John i. 13.
all thefe will, all thefe run (fome of them very hard) ;
but they are all thruft by, and difregardcd by the
Lord, both in their willing and in their running.
There are many found running the race^ but one obtains
the prizey which one is he that is born of God i to
whom, when God gives the prize, he will fay to all
the other births (notwithftanding all their willing and
running, their believing, hoping, praying, ^c) " De-
*« part from me, I know you not," ye are the fruit of
a ftrange
THE Bowels of Life, &c. 469
a ftrange womb, not of my fpoufe, and fo mufb not
inherit my kingdom. And as all thefe will be cut
ihort of the inheritance at laft ^ fo that all that they
do at prefent is loathfome to the Lord's foul. " The
" facrifice of the wicked is abomination ; how much
" more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind ?"
Prov. xxi. 27. His facrifice, his worfhipping of God,
his praying, his reading of fcriptures, his meditating
thereon, and of God and his works; his believing,
hoping, waiting, fearing of threatenings, and apply-
ing of promifes, &c. all is abomination. The wicked
man, he whofe heart is not circumcifed by the Lord's
eternal Spirit, whatfoever he can, or doth, facrifice
to God, the Lord loathes, and it cannot profit his
foul.
Objed:. Tea^ ivhen he does them in hypocrijyj Jo they
are.
Anjiv. Nay, more then fo. When he doth them
with an evil heart, they are much more abominable;
How much more ivhen he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
But let him bring it with a good mind, with that which
he calls the good heart (for the circumcifed heart, the
heart of the true new birth, is only the good heart j
not that heart which every falfe birth is apt to call
good) ; let him bring it with that heart which he takes
to be the upright heart; with an honeft intention, fo
far as he knows ; take his facrifices at the very befl,
at the very pureft he can attain to ; yet then they are
abomination.
And the reafon hereof is plain and manifeft. The
fountain is unclean^ the root in him is corrupt ; and
who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? Make the
tree good, and his fruit ivill he good : but while the tree
is bad, the fruit cannot be good. Now can the holy
God be pleafed with that facrifice which comes from
the unclean fpring ? Can God own or approve that
knowledge of himfelf, that faith, that love, that obe-
dience, that integrity, or uprightnefs, that induftry
or diligence, thofe prayers or breathings, which man
pumps up out of the old ciftern ? Nay, all thefe muft
into
470 A Warning of Love from
into the pit, with the common filthinefs and pollutions
of the earth; and when the Lord takes thele afide
from the feveral forts of profefTors, what will be
left in them ? Oh ! how many have builded up a wall,
daubing it with untempered mortar, which will not
ftand in the day of trial, nor fhelter them from the
etdVnal flames ? Oh ! what yelling and roaring will
there fhortly be in fuch as by no means will be.
warned, but would be juflifying of themfelves in
their falfe knowledge and pradices, and referring
their fabricks of religion to the trial of the day !
and the day will try them indeed ; even to the bitter
perplexity and anguifh of their hearts, when they
come to fee that there is now no way of efcape;
but they muft lie down in the bed of eternal forrow,
mifery, and torment; and in utter feparation from that
wherein they thought they had a large and unquef-.
tionable (hare.
PROPOSITION III.
'That all profejfions of God and of Chriji upon the earth ;
all knowledge and beliefs whatjoever^ with all practices
of duties and ordinances of worfjipy fave only fuch as
proceed froUy and are held in the pure life, are but as
Jo many fig-leaves, or deceitful plajiers, which may
Jkin over the wound^ but cannot truly heal it.
TH E wound of man is deep by the fall : he hath
really lolt God, he is Ihut out of his common-
wealth ; yea, in that eftate, he is altogether without
hope (for the hope fprings from God's vifitation of
him with his light, and from the living promife).
That which recovers man, is the eternal virtue, the
endlefs power, the life immortal, the Chrifh of God.
Now, whatever knowledge man gathers (whether
fromthebook of the creatures, or from the fcriptures,
or any other ways) or whatever man profeiTes, or
whatever
THE Bowels of Life, &c. 471
whatever man practifes out of this, it is but a cover of
his own, but a forrtied thing; but his own image of
truth, of knowledge, of faith, of love, of obedience,
of worfhip; it is not the living truth, the living know-
ledge, the living faith, the living love, the living ohe-
dience^ the living iiprfuip : and fo it is but mortal, but
fleflilyj and when it comes before the eternal flames,
it will not abide them, but vanifli. *^ All fleih is grafs-,"
all the knowledge, the faith, the love, the worfhip,
the obedience, the righteoufnefs, &c. which man
(who is ignorant of the leadings and power of the
life) can come at, is but grafs ; yea, the flower of it,
the feeming beauty and goodlinefs of it, the very
choice!!: of it in any fort of profefTors, is but " as the
" flower of the field :" it may make a fair (hew there,
but when the Lord cutteth it down with his fickle,
and when his fun rifeth upon it with its burning heat,
it will foon wither, and his fire wil] foon devour it,
fo that its very place (hall be found no more. What
will become of all the truit that fle(h hath borne,
when God maketh bare, and cutteth down the root?
What will become of all mortal knowledge of the
fcriptures, mortal worlhip; the faith and obedience
which hath its root, growth, and fpreading in the
mortal part, when the Lord heweth at it with his im-
mortal axe ? Do not deceive yourfelves ; there is no-
thing will fl:and but what is immortal, and that
which is gathered into it, and fo one with it. No
knowledge, no faith, no love, no obedience, no wor-
fhip, no hopes, but what fpring from the feed, are
gathered into the feed, and live in the feed. This
will abide, when all that fprings from man, and hath
its place and refidence in the mortal part (and not in
the true treafury) will come to an end, and difappoint
all who have their hopes of the inheritance there.
P R O P O-
472 A Warning of Love from
PROPOSITION IV.
^hat the living feed of eternal life, which God hath hid
in man underneath his earthy hath in it the living virtue^
which alone can heal man, and reftore him to God.
THAT which heals of the death, is the tree of
life, whofe rind or bark, whofe leaves, whofc
bloffoms, whofe fruit, whofe boughs and branches,
whofe bulk or body, with the whole fap thereof, is all
healing, and there is nothing elfe can heal. Let man
catch all the knowledge that ever fprang from the life ;
if he could believe (I mean in the man's part) all
that ever the life fpake, if it were fo that he could
perform all that ever the life called for, yet this would
not heal him at all : whereas the lead virtue from the
life, fpringing up into, and iivingly retained in, the
life's veffel, truly refrefhes and heals. The feed in all
its fpringings up, and fhootings forth in the heart,
lets out of its healing virtue. Let but in a reproof,
a convi6tion, a judgment, a condemnation, which
wounds that part which hath erred from the life, yet
even in that there is a fecret hidden healing of fome-
what elfe. 'The fmitings of the righteous principle are
as balm, and its reproofs an excellent oil. Tky rod and
thy Jlaff comfort me. Light is fown for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart. In all the tearings,
fmitings, and rendmgs of the earthly part (with
which the feed alfo fuffers) and the faith in which thefe
are received, is the prefent fubftance of the healing
from the eternal virtue hoped for.
Now, who will be wife ? Let him become a fool in
the fleih. Who will be ftrong ? Let him become weak
in the man's part. Who will be faved by the eternal
power ? Let him ceafe from the man in himfelf. Who-
ever would be able, in the life, to do all things, lee
him fink into that in himfelf which is not, that it
may bring to nought all things in him that arej
that
THE Bowels of Life, &c. 473
that fo it alone may be : and he by it being brought to
nothing, will eafily become all in it. This is the 'true
way of reftoration, of redemption ; firft to be loft, to
be overcome, to be drowned, to be made nothing by
that which is not -y that that may come to be in him,
and he be quickened, raifed up, and perfefted in that,
and fo become poflrefTor of the fulnefs. " The race is
" not to the fwift, nor the battle to the ftrong;" but
he that daily lofeth his ftrength, and his ability to
know, or fo much as to will or defire (even till at
length he become nothing at all) in him is the cor-
rupt at laft deftroyed, and the mortal fwallowed up of
the life. He that feels the pure feed fpringing up,
and by the growth of that is daily begotten, quick-
ened, raifed, juftified, fandlified, circumcifed, bap-
tized, fed in one part, and ftarved in another. When
the work of begetting, quickening, raifing, regene-
rating, juftifying, fandtifying, circumcifing, baptizing
is finifhed in him, and he is thoroughly begotten into
the life, quickened by the life, raifed in the life, re-
generated, juftified, fanctified, circumcifed, and bap-
tized through the life, he fliali have the kingdom,
wear the crown, enter into the joy of his Lord, weild-
ing the fcepter of rightcoufnefs with his Lord in his
kingdom for ever. Now this work is to be done in
the heart, on this fide the grave-, for after death comes
judgment for the things done in the body; and the
tree is to be difpofed of, according as it is found at
its fall, either to the fire, or to grow and fiourifti in
the land of life. Therefore be not flothful, but
watch unto the movings of the living feed, that its
work may be perfected ; that it may arrive at its ftature,
and come to its full growth, and may finifh its fervice
and teftimony, that lb it may enter into its habitation,
and receive you v/ith it into its everlafting manfion,
where every fervant and conftant fufferer with the feed
fhall be welcomed of its Father, and remain a partaker
of their joy and fulnefs for ever.
ISAAC PENINGTON the Younger.
Where
474 A Warning of Love from
Where is the Wife ? Where is the Scribe ? Where
is the Difputer of this World ? Hath not God
made foolifh the Wifdom of this World?
I CoR. i. 20.
THESE have always been the enemies and op-
pofers of truth, and fetters up of falfe images
thereof in all ages •, the wife, the learned, the great
difputants. To thefe truth has ftill been mean and
contemptible, their eye hath flill overlooked it, and
their imaginations have ftill out-run it, finding out
fomewhat elfe in the ftead thereof j for which they
have been ftill able and vigorous to contend, and
againft the truth itlelf. And indeed how can the
wife eye fee that, how can the learned eye acknow-
ledge that, which comes quite out of the way of its
knowledge and learning, even in a path that it is not
at all acquainted v/ith ? " Wifdom is juftified of her
" children." Thofe that are wife to falvation, thofe
that are learned in the Spirit, thofe that can difpute
in the power of the life and demonftration of the
Spirit, thefe know her habitation, and her out-goings^
and can own her in every age, and in every difpen-
fation and coming forth : but the wife and learned of
this world are fhut out of this wifdom, and in all their
fearches after truth cannot find her; and if at any time
they do find and tafte fomewhat of her, yet they can-
not keep her; but the wifdom, and learning, and
ftrength of the earthly part in them, foon betrays and
makes a prey of the fimplicity that is in Chrifl, and
of his pure gofpel ; which cannot be comprehended,
nor will take up a dwelling-place with this wifdom,
but brings it to nothing, tramples upon it, and keeps
it down for ever, where it abides.
Three forts of enemies, of the wife, the learned,
the great difputants, truth hath always had. Firft,
Of fuch as have denied the true form of knowledge
THE Bowels of Life, &c. 475
and vvorfhip. Secondly, Of fuch as have owned the
form, but withftood the power. Thirdly, Of fuch
as have had a tafle of the power, but afterwards
erred from it; and fo held that, which they had once
a true tafte of, in the unrighteous part, and likewife
added to it by their own imaginations.
When Ifrael was in Egypt (that poor illiterate com-
pany of brick-makers) in bondage under that wife
people, the Egyptians, with all their wifdom, could
not own their God, or their worlhip ; but their God
was an unknown being to all that wifdom, Exod. v. 2,
and his vvorfhip and facrifice the abomination of their
eyes, Exod. viii. 26. And Jannes and Jambres, with
other wife magicians, withftood the appearance of
God ; and Pharaoh and his people, with their wifdom,
thought to have kept God's Ifraei from multiplying,
Exod, i. 10. and to have held Ifrael ftill under their
fervitude, after the Lord was rifen to ftretch out his
arm for their deliverance, Exod. v. 8, 9. And how
did all the wife nations ftill watch to make a prey of
God's Jerufalem ! how did they count the towers!
how often did thev think to divide the fpoil! Judg. v.
28. Ifa. xxxiii. 18. how did Senacherib and Rabfheka
make her their own ! and when the Lord did at any-
time give Jacob for a fpoil, and Ifrael to the robbers,
how did they think to keep her under for ever ! The
wife A0'yrian, the Moabite, the Ammonite, the Edo-
mite, the Philiftine, the Amalekitc, the wife Baby-
lonian or Chaldean, thought to keep her under, as
Pharaoh had done, even till their wifdom and know-
ledge perverted them alfo, Ifa. xlvii. 10. and the
prince of Tyre, who was wifer than Daniel, Ezek. xxviii.
3. he alfo could infult over Jerufalem, and rejoice at
her downfall and captivity, chap. xxvi. 2.
But to come clofer ; come to Ifrael itfelf. That
people, by all the wifdom it could gather from the
law, by all the experiences it had had of God's
power, by all the faith thac was wrought in them upon
deliverances, yet had not eyes to fee, nor ears to hear,
nor hearts to perceive j but were a people that did
Vol. I. Mm always
47^ A Warning of Loape from
always err in their hearts, and did not iinderftand
the way of truth and peace. The prophets among
them were flill fools; yea, the fpiritual man mad,
Hof. ix. 7. The priefts were generally ignorant of
the Lord (for though they had the ark of his prefence,
his tabernacle, his temple, altar, facrificss, worfhip,
&c. yet they did not know where he was, nor did
inquire after him, but contented themfelves with a
form of knowledge and worfhip). And they that
handled the law, knew not him who gave the law,
and was the fole true interpreter of the law; but the
paftors tranfgrefled againfthim, and the prophets pro-
phefied by another fpirit, Jer. ii. 8. They were wife,
and did abound in their own meanings, guefllngs, and
gathered knowledge; but they knew not the truth,
no not of the letter according to the law, and accord-
ing to that light which God fometimes caufed to fhine
among them from his prophets. Hence it was that
that people, with their rulers, their teachers, their
priefts, their prophets, were generrdly enemies to the
prophets whom God raifed up, hating, perfecuting,
imprifoning, ftoning them., &c. The prophets of God
(that fpake his truth in his wifdom, in his life, in
power, in the demonftration of his Spirit) they could
not away with: thefe were fools with them; thefe
were madmen with them, 2 Kings ix. 11. Jer. xxix.
26.; thefe were poor illiterate herdfmen and plough-
men : they had learned men, that were brought up
at the fchools of the prophets, that could prophefy
divine things, fweet things, that could open the law
learnedly ; thefe prophets and thefe priefts the rulers
cheriftied, and the people loved, Jer. v. 31, and xxiii.
26, 27. tzek. xiii. 3, &c.
Yea, among that people, fuch as had a tafte of the
truth, as Korah, Dathan, and Abiram might have
(for furely it was not a fmall matter that could fo lift
them up to oppofe Mofes and Aaron in that manner,
and to ftand out the conteft with them even in the
Lord's prefence. Numb. xvi. 18. but an apprehenfton
of God's being on their fide, from fome appearance of
his
THE Bowels of Life, 8cc. 477
his to them), and as Balaam had, whofe eyes were
opened to fee the beauty of the tents of Jacob -, yet
thefe, through the prevalency of the flelhly lufts and
wifdom, become enemies, and try always to prevail
over Ifrael, even over the truth, and over the power.
The apoftle Jude compares fuch to the angels that
kept not their firil eflate. The angels that fell had a
place and (landing once in the truth; but they kept it
not (they abode not in the truth) but fell from it,
and fo became devils, enemies to the truth from which
they fell : fo thofe that fall from the truth, from the
power, from the living virtue whereof they once
tailed, from the true wifdom which once appeared to
them, and began to feafon and favour them, in their
fallen wifdom they become the greateft enemies, the
greateft accufcrs, the greateft oppofers, and the ftiffefl
maintainers of a falfe image of that truth which they
once had fome knowledge of, and fome unity with.
Thus it was in the Jewilh Hate : now come to the
apoftles days.
Firft, They had all the wife men of that age againft
them: all the wife Greeks, all the wife Jews, the
learned men, the able difputants of all forts. The
Greeks could not find wifdom in that knowledge of
Chrift which they held forth, nor the Jews could not
find power in it, 1 Cor. i. 22. and fo one accounted
it foolifhnefs, the other ftumbled at it, ver. 23. There
were many forts and feds of wife men among the
Jews i but not one fort could own the truth, though
they were looking for it, fearching the fcriptures about
it, and difputing concerning it. The very thing then
in agitation and inquiry among them was, when the
kingdom of God jjjould come. The king himfelf directs
them where it was, that they might know where to
expeft and wait for it, Luke xvii. 21. and in many
parables opens it to them j but it was Hill hid from
the eye of that wifdom wherewith they did ftrive to
fee, underftand, and comprehend it. So that all the
feveral forts of wife men of that age, even thofe who
were admirers of the law and the prophets, yet were
M m 2 ilrangers
478 A Warning of Love from
llrangers and enemies to the truth, becaufe they joined
to that wifdom, and to that learning and compre-
henfion of the fcriptures^ out of the fight whereof it
came.
Secondly, For fuch as did own Chrift after the flefh,
fuch as were convinced by his miracles (as Nicodcmus
and many of the honefter fort of the Jews were),
yet Chrift did not commit himfelf to them, John ii. 24.
He knew this faith and this owning of him, which
was founded upon the wifdom and ingenuity of the
creature, would failj and fo he would not own it in
Nicodemus ; but bids him look afcer the new-birth,
John iii. 2, 3. Nor in fuch as follow him up and
down, upon this or any other flefhly account] but
fometimes withdrew, and hid himfelf from them,
Lukev. 16. John vi. 14, 15.-, and fometimes preach-
ed do6lrines which {tumbled them, and made them
withdraw from him, John vi. 66. And fo in the
apoftles days, there were many could get the form,
and gain advantage thereby to the flefhly wifdom, to
withftand the power, 2 Tim. iii. 5. 2 Cor. xi. 13.
Thirdly, There were fuch as had tafted of the heaven-
ly gift, and of the powers of the world to come, and
yet fell away, Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6. There were fuch as
denied the Lord that bought them, 2 Pet. ii. i. Such
as fell from the love of the truth to the love of their
vomit, and of the mire of the world again, ver. 22.
2 Tim. iv. 10. Such as had a Handing in the church's
heaven (like the angels which fell) but kept not their
habitation, but were fwept down from thence to the
earth by the dragon's tail. Rev. xii. 4. thefe are the
noblefr champions (in the earthly wifdom, and for a
corrupted eftate and falfe image) of all the reft.
Now as the prophets of God among the Jews had
thefe enemies, and as the apoftles alfo had thefe ene-
mies, fo all along the apoftafy thefe enemies have
been rife. The witnefles have a wife fort of diredt
oppofers among the Papifts, a wife fort of fecret un-
dermmers among the Proteftants, and alfo another
wife
THE Bowels of Love, &c. 479
wife fort of fuch among themfelves as had feme tafte
of the truth, but departed from the power of it into
the earthly wifdom, into the earthly underftandingj
and this laft fort fight more furioufly and more vehe-
mently againft the truth, and are more fubtle to af-
fault it, and grapple with it, than the other two.
Ch! there is no fuch bitter deadly enemy to Chrift and
his Truth, as he who once had fome tafte of the virtue
of it, and is now turned from it into the earth, into
the wifdom and love of the world, and yet ftill holds
fome of the notion of that truth (whereof he once felt
the power) in the earthly part.
To come yet clofer. There is in every man (not
thoroughly fanftified) that wifdom which is not of God ;
that wifdom from which God hides his precious
truths J which wifdom lies ready to catch every dif-
covery and revelation of truth to him, that it might
improve it, and grow rich and wife by it. Now this
wifdom cannot attain to the knovv^ledge of any of the
things of God: neither can this wifdom keep the true
knowledge ; but whatever this wifdom catcheth, ic
prefently corrupts. The true wifdom, the true light,
the true knowledge of Chrift, is like the manna in the
wildernefs ; it daily comes down from heaven, and
muft daily be gathered frefh. The true light fprings
from the lifej and it muft be held in the life, in the
vefTel which the life forms, in the new bottle, in the
new underftanding; not in the flelhly part, nay, not
in the natural part: for as the natural man cannot re-
ceive the things of the Spirit, i Cor. ii. 14. fo nei-
ther can he retain them. The old ftorehoufe, into
which earthly things were gathered, muft be burnt up,
and not made a treafury for the things of Godj but
the new underftanding, which is given by him that is
true, I John v. 20. which new-forms and preferves,
and is all in the natural. Sink out of the earthly part,
and read me, that thou mayeft be able to fay within
thyfelf, and concerning thyfelf. Where is the wife ?
Where is the Scribe ? Where is the difputer ?
The
480 A Warning of Love from
The wife part, the knowing part, the reaching part
in every nnan, will be putting forth its hand to gather
of the tree of life •, but what hath it ever been able to
gather ? I know men may gather notions of any kind,
of any fe6t, of any fort of profeffion, of any appear-
ance or difpenfation i but who is able to come near the
life, to touch the power, the truth, the everlafting
fpring, or any ftream or drop of water that iffues from
it ? And he who hath a true touch or tafte thereof
given him, can his wifdom add to it ? Nay, can he fo
much as retain it ? David had a true fenfe and expe-
rience of this, who cried out, " O continue thy
" loving-kindnefs to them that know thee, and thy
" righteoufnefs to the upright in heart." Indeed if
he like not to retain the thing itfelf in his knowledge,
he may improve the notion, and bend that to the
temperature and difpofition of the earthly part in
himfelf and others ; but this is not truth, but a dead
image, or a dead remembrance of what once was
truly living. Oh! how doth the foul that is begotten
of the divine breath, that is born of the living power
and virtue, depend upon God for his continual breath-
ings ! There is nothing that hath fo much from God,
and yet nothing is fo little able to live without him.
If he withdraw from it, it prefently hangs down its
head : nay, if he do but fo much as hide his face, it
is troubled; and all the fullnefs, which it immediately
before had from God, is not able to keep up its life
one moment ; but it pants, and fails, and flags, and
withers, until a new fupply of refrefhment be ad-
miniftered to it. And he that knows this in any
meafure will not wonder at the diftrefs and mifery of
fuch for want of God's prefence-, and at their cryings
out after the fpring of their life (even as the hare
brayeth after the water-brooks) though they fliould
have fulnefs of all outward things, yea, and alfo ful-
nefs of knowledge in things of religion, even con-
cerning all conditions and eftates. The thing that I
wanted in my great mifery, it was not outward know-
ledge, it was not experience of God's mercy and good-
nefsi
THE Bowels of Love, &c. 481
ncfs; but this I wanted, the iffuings forth of his frefh
life, and livingiy to know where to wait for it, and
iivingly to know it when it appeared : for it was flill
near me all the time of my darknefs, and did preferve
me, and appear unto me -, but I livingiy knew it not,
but thought I would be wifer than others : for I faw
many deceived, and fo I would not own it in fuch a
way as it then appeared in me, left 1 alfo fhouid be
deceived like others; but waited for fuch an appear-
ance as could not be queftioned by the flefhly wifdom.
And he that waits for that, and fo defpifes the day of
fmall things, cannot but refufe the little feed ; and fo,
not being received into his earth, it can never grov/
up in him into a great tree ; whereby the glory of the
kingdom will bs hid from him, and he fhut out of it,
when others enter into and fit down in it. Therefore,
he that will be wije^ let him become o. fool^ that he may
be wife\ let him receive that for his light, his king,
his guide:, which man's wifdom never did, nor never
will, own. He that ever looks to enjoy the Comforter,
let him receive the Reprover, the Convincer of fin,
and wait for his law of judging hirn throughout the
whole courfe of his finful ftate and nature, pafiing
along with him through the whole condemnation, un-
til he arrive with him at the jullification of the life,
which the flefhly wifdom, nor any of his knowledge
of the things of God (as they are held in the flefiily
part) muft never arrive with him at.
Hath not God made foolijlj the zvijdom of this world?
The wifdom of this world is precious in the eye of
the world; and the wifdom of God in his poor, weak,
defpifed earthen vefi^els is ftill fooliflinefs with them;
but the Lord fo orders It, that he ftill juftifies his
defpifed wifdom in his defpifed velTels, and makes the
wifdom of the world appear foolifh to all the fingle
and upright-hearted, who thiift after and wait for the
revelation of his truth. Now two ways efpecially the
Lord makes the folly of this world's wifdom appear.
Firft, In that by all their wifdom they cannot find
out the true knowledge of God, ver. 21. " The world
*' by
48a A Warning of Love from
*' by wifdom knew not God." Though there be an
exceeding defire kindled in them to know God ; though
they take all the ways that heart can imagine to attain
their defires-, though they fludy and meditate ever fo
hard; tliough they get ever fo many arts and languages;
nay, though they read the very fcriptures ever lb dili-
o^ently; though they labour in the "oery fire-, yet whiit
they get, what they gather, what they underftand,
what they comprehend by this wifdom, it is all but
*' very vanity," Heb. ii. 13. It reaches not the immor-
" tal, it nourifhes not the immortal, it fatisfies not
the foul, it refrelhes not the feed -, but only feeds and
pleafes the earthly part, the earthly underflanding,
the earthly mind, the earthly defires and affeftions ;
even the man's part, the man's fpirit, the man*s na-
ture ; which, though elevated and raifed ever fo high,
is ftill but earth.
Secondly, In that all their wifdom cannot teach
them to come down to, to fubmit to, to come into
God's way of having their wifdom crucified, and that
raifed up in them which might receive the truth. This
they can never learn in the flefhly wifdom. They may
indeed come thus far, even to fee that there is no way
of entrance but by death; and to feek death (that they
may enter into the life), but they cannot find it.
The feed of Jacob, in his feeking, miffes not ; but
this feeker never finds; to this afker it is never given,
and to this knocker it is never opened : and that is it
which makes this wifdom in every appearance, in
every fort of profeffion and feft of profeifors, fo rage
at the feed of Jacob, even becaufe it finds itfelf Ibii
fhut out of the life, into which an entrance is ad-
miniftered to the feed. And how can that which
would fain have the kingdom, but rage againft that
which takes the inheritance from it? How can every
fort of profelibrs but ftrive to flay the heir, that the
inheritance may be theirs ? Were it not for the living
feed, and the living power and virtue, which breaks
forth in them and among them, the religion and
worfhip of the firft birth might pafs for current; bu:
this
THE Bowels of Love, &c. 483
this is it which darkens the glory of all profefTions and
profelTors upon the earth, even that living thing which
God hath begotten in his people, and his living
prefence with it, and blefling upon it. At this all the
zealous facrificers, teachers, and profeirors, out of the
life, rage and are mad, and would break the cords
and bands wherewith this drives to bind them unto
God's altar.
Now look over all ages ; Could the wife heathens
ftoop to God's difpenfation to the Jews ? Was it not
foolifhnefs and abomination to them? Or could the
wife Jews ftoop to the law within, to the word in the
heart (although directed thereto by Mofes, Deut. xxx.
14.) to learn there to do juftly, to love mercy, and
to walk humbly with their God ? Mic. vi. 8. Could
they wait there to have their hearts circumcifed by
that word of power, and fo to be wafhed and made
clean ? Nay, were they not drowned in the outward
facrifices, temple, incenfe, new-moons and fabbaths,
and fuch kind of obfervations, and could *not hear
the truth of the Lord as it was delivered by Mofes,
nor as it was opened by the prophets, Ifa. i. 11. So
that this people, feeking to know the Lord from the
letter by this wifdom, could never come to the know-
ledge of him 3 but the place of his light and wifdom
was hid from them.
Again, when Chrift came, and the kingdom was
preached, and the everlafting way of redemption and
falvation made manifcft, could the wife eye in the
Greeks, or the wife eye in the Jews, fee it ? Did not
the Greeks fhut themfelves out by a wifdom above
the letter (as they thought), and the Jews by a
knowledge and wifdom which they had gathered out
of the letter ? How wife were they from the letter to
reafon againft the king of life ? 'This 7nan cannot be of
God) for he is a breaker of his fabbaths. He is a
NazaritCy and can any good thing C07ne out of Nazareth?
He faith the Son of Man mujl be lifted up -, but we read
that Chrift abideth for ez'er. He is againfi God's tcmplcy
againfi God's day of worfjipj gives his dijcipks fuch J cope
Vol. L N n and
484
A Warning of Love from
and liberty i as neither the Pharifees nor John gave their
dijciples ; but reviles our jlritl and godly teachers and
expounders of the law, calling them hypocrites ^ blind guides y
i£c. And tnark with what a rough fevere Jpirit he
reproves them ; whereas they call him mafier^ and fpeak
mildly and gently to him. Oh ! what Jew in that
nature, in that wifdom, in that fpirit, could but find
matter and occafion of fturnbling at Chrift, even from
the law and the prophets !
And as they Rumbled at the true Chrift, fo have all
the generations of wife men fince the apoftafy, all the
learned men generally (their councils, fynods, con^
vocations, and afiemblies) ftumbled at the true church,
looking for fome fuch-like building as had been in the
apoftles days, and not underftanding orobferving how
the Lord took down that building (as. it had been
fet up in the world), and how he prepared a place in
thewildernefs for his true church, unto which he gave
her wings to fly. Rev. xii. And how afterwards the
falfe woman, or falfe church, got up in her ftead,
who with a golden cup of fornication bewitched the
kings and inhabiters of the earth. Rev. xvii. 2. even
peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues, ver. 15.)
lb that they miilook her for the true church, and went
into her bed of whoredoms. Which of all the learned
men, wliicii of all the councils of the Papifts, have
feen this? Nay, which of the Proteftant councils, or
convocations, or afiemblies, have beheld the ftate of
the true church ? Nay, have not every fort and left of
the Proteftants endeavoured to build up fome image
or likenefs of the true church j not fo much as fuf-
pefting that fhe was fled into, and was to abide in the
wildernefs for a time, times, and half a time ? Oh ■
what darknefs hath covered the earth? Oh! how hath
God befooled the wife men of every fort ! the wife
men of every age ! the wife Proteftants, as well as
the wife Papifts ! the wife Independents and Baptifts,
as well as the wife Epifcopalians and Preft)yterians !
and how blind and fottifti are nations, and peoples, that
ftill they think to find out the truth by having a fynod,
alFembly,
THE Bowels of Love, &c. 485
aflTemblyj or convocation of the wife men gathered to-
gether! Indeed they are fitteft to rear up an image to
pleafe the earthly part of man, and the earthly powers
and interefts with; but truth never came in by that
way, but the wife and learned have ftill been fhut
out from it, and have proved enemies to it. And who-
foever comes out of the apoftafy from the Spirit and
rrom the truth, to the Spirit and truth again, Ihall
find nothing fo great an enemy as the wifdom in him-
felf, and direftions from the wifdom in others: for
that which God leads is a fimple, a weak babe, a child
to the wifdom of the world j and he leads it in a path
which is wholly out of the line of this world's wifdom
and knowledge of the fcriptures, as the path God
chofe in Chrift's and the apoftles days was out of the
line of the Jews knowledge of the fcriptures. Such
is the recovery out of the apoftafy : it is hid from all
the flefhly-wife men of this age, even as the entrance
into the truths of the kingdom was hid from all the
flelhly-wife men of that age. Happy is he who
ceafeth from ftriving after the knowledge and compre-
hending of the things of God in this world's fpirit and
wifdom, and waiteth in the humility and fear of the
Lord, firft to be made a fool, that afterwards he may
be made wife unto everlafting life,
J- p.
The End of Vol, L
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